Twilight's Castle
Yesterday. . .
"Spike, did you finish organizing the Geography Section?" Twilight asked from across from her newly designed library in the west wing of her castle, magic levitating six expensive books she bought with the royal funds. She alphabetized each book to their proper spot and gazed happily at the other fifty shelves Princess Celestia donated with the entire Canterlot Section. She could not be any more thankful for her mentor's kindness and generosity.
"I already did that section, and I already organized Equestrian History." Spike said from atop the ladder, extending dangerously to the bookshelf behind him with the use of his tail. Thankfully his last birthday gave him quite a growth spurt, both in maturity and size. Though he is still the same baby dragon on the inside his new appearance gave him a nice advantage with the mares.
Having a fierce but gentle outlook of himself, Spike had grown in the last five years to become a very powerful and independent dragon. His teenage years have barely started, but it felt as if he jumped from being a teen that learned to fly into an adult that has yet to fully grow. He enjoys being thrice the height of his friends and family and having new possibilities open when he spends his free time learning spells and with Rarity. But some complications haven't left the dragon; at least not until he grows much more. Unfortunately, Spike's growth will not happen again for another one hundred years, which is almost two lifetimes in pony years.
Having no room to stretch his wings or the courage to risk teleporting the rest of books to their proper shelves—Heavens know the temper his purple friend has when books are carelessly shelved—Spike set the remainder of the books in their correct space, slowly, and eased his way down the reinforced ladder while Twilight locked away the Forbidden Archive Section in the back.
"Did you finish?" the purple alicorn nuzzled the Drake's arm out of gratitude, following him out of the Library for a requested meeting with Mayor Mare. She remained at his side at her mentor's demand of their distant relation with Canterlot requiring a guardian at all times. With the recent foalnappings and murders, Celestia worried that her student is the most vulnerable of all the princesses and made it so the only time Twilight is alone is in a bathroom. Should there be any danger near her, Spike has the permission of the Solar Princess to fully act on his instincts. This includes killing, but only as a last resort.
"So why do you think Mayor Mare went out of her way to hire a complete stranger?" Spike asked, unfolding and flipping through another page of Sin's massive records. Twilight frowned as the council room was open to them by a pair of Solar Guards, her eyes blazing with the need for knowledge of the dangerous human.
"It has to do with the crimes being committed and Ponyville being a possible target for foalnappings," Twilight replied, though in a much more serious tone. She took her seat at the Cutie Map while Spike curled himself around the chair, wings and tail firmly locked as a shield. "But for her to not tell me or the other princesses about her decision finds me suspicious."
"That is a little weird of her," Spike nodded, before resting his chin on his claws. "But what about the picture I found in the back of the folder? Isn't that a little weirder than Mayor Mare?"
Twilight narrowed her gaze at the table and deeply pondered said picture. It stumped her how such a creature could come to close enough relation with the princesses; especially when the background seems to predate the coming of Nightmare Moon. The Castle of The Two Sisters was intact in the picture, and the princesses are taking turns with the human, kissing him and wearing engagement rings that match the two he has on each hand.
The Princess of Magic could not think of a good start to the mysterious hire of Sin Firestorm and began to pressure herself with being the only one who must find an answer. Her head started throbbing with frustration as the dragon around her scoured the last few sentences of a page he found stuck at the front.
"Hey, I found something else about him." he told the young princess. Her eyes perked and focused on his voice. "It's an examination stuck to another page, but it seems a little more personal, like, it's from his own point of view."
"Read it to me, please." Twilight requested.
Spike coughed to clear his throat, puffing two green clouds of smoke without informing the guards to not panic. Sadly, those two puffs made a very young cadet squeal with terror and dive under another guard. He covered his eyes and shivered as the clouds disappeared, never coming close.
"Whoops, my bad." Spike smiled sheepishly. The guards just laughed at him and their cowering cadet.
"Spike, please." Twilight said flatly.
"Okay," he began. "Solace of Winter, Twenty years after the Banishment of Nightmare Moon.
Subject 1729 (A.K.A Sin Firestorm)
Species: Human (And the only one to ever exist in Equestria)
Age: 36
Title: Banished Prince of Equestria. Disowned own son of King Solaris and Queen Era. Former Mate to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
Reason: Unjust Accusations of corrupting the Lunar Princess.
We have reached another breakthrough in the subject's breakdown of mental and physical adaptation, a large breakthrough I must add. His physical appearance has grown in strength and speed which I find to be almost impossible. The tissue and muscle lining in Sin's body made a miraculous recovery and appear to have enlarged at an exponential rate. The magic he does possess is part of the Prophecy—that I am most certain of.
Lifting ponies was a hard feat for the boy, but his change has driven him to new heights even I cannot fathom. He woke up from the anesthetic and ripped the steel restraints from his arms and legs without breaking a sweat or causing an abrasion of the skin. His mentality, however, is questioned greatly.
Those who tried to keep him restrained met an untimely end by his hands. The boy went into a terrifying state of fury and attacked anyone and anything that moved; even my beloved mistress had her heart ripped out of her chest and forced down her throat before he crushed her skull with ease.
My Beloved Fusha. . . Your death has wounded me, but it was not in vain. Our research has reached new heights and will take us one step closer to changing anyone living creature into a pony, maybe into an alicorn.
Where was I?
Yes, Sin's mental breakthrough.
Upon witnessing the death of my assistants and mistress I came upon a very rare traits inside and outside of Sin. Seeing said traits, I decided it was best that I put him in a much more violent part of the facility. For better understanding of this change.
With little trouble, I led the beast by his starvation by luring him with a roasted chicken and tossed it into the Arena, where all the failures go. Sin was already in an animalistic state of carnage of hatred before every monster I captured appeared from the shadows to rip him to shreds.
Mutilated Dragons, Undead Ponies and Gryphons, even the dreaded Basilisk I spent years finding. They all came out and worked in unison to destroy the boy, something I never saw with the other failures. It was as if the monsters knew Sin was the Alpha in the group, the Apex Predator, and they launched a full scale assault for his limbs.
That, unfortunately, was their first and last mistake.
Sin's fury spiked to the size of an Ursa Major protecting her cub, and all the last shred of his sanity crumbled underneath the overbearing power we thrust into his soul months ago. His muscles tripled in size before there was bloodshed. His eyes darkened to an empty black and white as magic seeped from his form and exploded as a dark shade of rainbow. Claws and fangs sprout in an instant, as did a long, curved horn, a pair of wings, and a large, wavy tail of the same color as his new eyes.
One by one, Sin tore through the beasts like there was no tomorrow. He destroyed the most powerful of dark creatures this world created and went back to eating the roasted chicken. He did not hesitate killing or eating the chicken when the blood of his victims splashed all over him.
I should be frightened or ashamed of myself, but the conviction and power he displays drives me more to the answers my superior desires. Astounding is an understatement to the readings I received from the blue crystal. To have a discharge level of thirteen thousand is very normal for the highest unicorn. A shift in the sun by Princess Celestia herself is documented to be an overbearing discharge of one hundred and thirty-five thousand.
But Sin Firestorm. . . My Goodness.
I did not believe the readings until the tenth time they were shown. Such power coming from him, and without the gods fueling his body leads me to believe the Prophecy was never a pony at all, but him. He cannot move the sun or the moon for the simple fact of not having a connection to them, but that discharge level is remarkable.
I'm so shocked that my hooves are shaking with excitement and fear. Two hundred and sixty-five thousand, a level that makes him par with Queen Era. The possibilities are endless. The things I can do for this world and for myself.
I could be greater than Starswirl The Bearded. With enough time and patience I can make the boy my weapon. I can overthrow my superior and become the god of this world.
I could make Earth Ponies the dominant species and turn any magic user into a servant.
There is so much left to do, but I will have it done and ready. I will create world order and become the ruler of Equus. But if I do that I will need a bride, somepony who I know will obey my every order to keep Sin from suffering any longer than he does now.
Queen Era was his mother, but that was long ago.
Princess Celestia, maybe. . .
Yes, she will do. Love never dies, no matter how terrible the crime.
All I need to do is—
Twilight broke off at the last word ending in a dry splatter of blood. She looked away and composed herself of this revelation as Spike placed the page back where it belongs. Disgust choked the alicorn while every vulgar thought of this mysterious stranger shifted into an imagery of him suffering an entire lifetime of darkness and death. Her stomach churned and gurgled as the dragon pet her head and offered words of comfort, her body begging to release what was left of her dinner from last night.
"Sorry about that, but I figured it was best for you to know." Spike said with genuine concern, watching his best friend inhale deeply while the mare they are supposed to meet entered casually.
"It's okay, Spike. It was best for me to know." Twilight nuzzled the underside of his chin before Mayor Mare took a seat at the other side of the table. She looked towards the earth pony very seriously and tapped on the folder after the Drake set it in front of her. The smile from the mane coating mare did not fool Twilight for one second. She knew from the contents of this folder that Mayor Mare has some sort of plan going on. The only question is "What does she have planned for the safety of Ponyville?"
"Good morning Princess Twilight," Mayor Mare chimed, cleaning the lens of her glasses. Twilight veered from formalities and focused on the mare and her actions, becoming suspicious already; especially when the Mayor of Ponyville never cleans her glasses. They are always spotless and perfect, never tarnished nor scratched slightest. Twilight listed this as a sign of something being wrong or kept secret from her and played it cool, while thinking of a way to use her words.
"Hello Mayor Mare," she said calmly, pushing the folder for the mare to see and realize the matter they have at hoof. "I am guessing you are finally here for the discussion of our new resident."
"Sin Firestorm, the former Gryphon General and our new town guard. Yes, I thought it would be best to speak about the human staying here in Ponyville at my request—what with all of the murders and foalnappings happening right now."
Twilight leaned into her seat, furrowing a brow as the old pony giggled. The murders have not been announced to the public nor to other royals across Equus. Princess Celestia, I know without a doubt, has not told Mayor Mare a single thing. Twilight crossed her hooves, never taking her eyes off the mare. She is definitely up to something, and I plan on finding out.
Mounds of snow and jutting trails throughout Ponyville made walking through the calmed blizzard a task even Sin found to be extremely difficult. One wrong step, and he was going to plunder into the white blanket with his daughter. The dense fall of winter was the epitome of a harsh season hardly starting, an impossible labyrinth of many hooves becoming lost in the snow before he could make out a proper path to the first pony Pinkie Pie wants him to see. Yet, somewhere in that determined façade of his, in his near-unbreakable mind, Sin was determined to find or make his own way to one of the element wielders.
His pure white hair covered his face as the Element of Laughter led him to the most Frou-Frou pony in all of Equestria, bouncing happily at his side, something she always does when there is too much joy to keep inside. Finding no one to be around, she took in a cold breath and beamed her warm smile up to the human.
"I can see why Spitfire and Cadance want you," she said in her joyful mood, receiving a serious look of suspicion as the atmosphere of his day began to feel heavy. Somewhere, beyond the edge of his ability, he could a powerful being, but was unable to pinpoint its location. "You look a little funny, but you're really, really cute behind that mane of yours. Most stallions like to have short manes because it being long makes them look girly, but you look really good with it."
"Thanks," Sin said in a neutral tone as Rose Spark snuggled his neck, her brief shivers reminding him to spread his magic throughout her body by rubbing back. "You look pretty cute yourself."
"Thanks, I am as cute as a button." Pinkie chirped after hoping out of a large mound of snow she fell into. Her entire body became a white lump of snow, but she shook it off and continued to bounce towards Carousel Boutique. "So where are you from exactly?"
"I am not exactly from a certain place," Sin said, skipping over a sheet of ice. He was lucky to have noticed it when Pinkie Pie's tail brushed some of the snow away. "I have travelled from country to country for a little adventuring. I've never had a real home, not ever since I was brought to this world."
Pinkie Pie felt the beginnings of confusion, the nervousness of her newest friend being a little loco in the cocoa. All those times she was seen as a weirdo or a freak, the mysteries of others. . . A dozen images of her strange behavior passed her mind, but none of them were as odd as Sin's answer.
"Brought to this world?" she arched an eyebrow, closing in on him as the house came into view. "Are you from another world, or are you just pulling my leg right now?"
Sin put on a more calm face after realizing what he just said. Age. Maturity. Wisdom. Joy.
"I'm just being poetic about what I say;" he smiled, before rubbing the top of her head in a gentle manner. Pinkie Pie snorted to the sensation of the back of her ears being scratched after the petting. "What I meant to say is moving from country to country is like moving from one world to another. It's a new culture every time I move, so it is very similar to changing lives."
He mentally kicked himself. Nice job, dumbass. You almost blew your cover a second time. The last thing you need is for everyone to know who you truly are.
"You're a really weird and funny looking stallion, but everypony like weird and funny. And just so we're clear, I mean funny as in you're really cute when you talk funny." Pinkie Pie looked ahead of herself and came upon a near miss with hitting Rarity's door. Luckily for her, Sin was quick enough to gently pull her back by the tail before the doorknob could come into contact with her chin. She gander to the hand holding her tail, giggling for a moment at her own mistake. "Thanks a bunch; and you're really fast. That would have hurt if I hit my noggin on the door."
"Not fast, just sharp." Sin quipped as she raised a hoof.
The door was still immaculate and sturdy behind the sheet of ice laying over the paint. Pinkie Pie stood before it for a minute, pondering in the icy reflection how she was going to start his party off in this unforgiving weather. Ponies were nice and snuggly in their homes, and it was bound to end badly with hardly anyone showing up. Still, there is always a way to make the best of a party. Though she was worried about it, she still smiled.
She knocked three times, and inside came a filly who politely opened the door. Her mane was a slight mess from all the sleep, but at least her hazel eyes were untouched. "Pinkie Pie, what are you doing here?"
"Hi there Sweetie Belle," Pinkie greeted hugging the little unicorn to bring a smile on her face, which happened to be a success. "Is your sister home? I wanted her to meet my new friend before I introduce him to Twilight and the others."
"She's home, but her room is locked right now." Sweetie Belle said, stepping behind the door. She let in both and quickly shut the door to prevent any more heat from the fireplace to escape in the outside. Her hooves shivered a little as Pinkie Pie went ahead upstairs to fetch for the Fashionista, leaving Sin to tend with his clingy filly and the curious one to his right.
Not waiting for approval to himself welcome, Sin removed his cloak and took a seat on the couch with Rose Spark still holding onto him. He could feel how nervous she was by the strength of her hug, which was very normal for a child her age. After all, leaving the comfort of your new home to go meet a few ponies is a little nerve-racking for a traumatized filly. The most Rose Spark wanted to do at the moment is hide away from the world as it continued to change around her. Having a new father, meeting new ponies that adore you, making a new friend. . . All of the stress seemed to jolt through her body as a mixture of fear and anxiety.
"Hey, it's okay." he cooed lovingly, stroking the filly's back as she breathed a little heavier than usual. If he did not know any better he would think Rose Spark was starting to hyperventilate out of stress. "We're just going to meet a few ponies, and then we'll go back to the house to prepare our trip to the city."
"I wanna go back to the house," Rose Spark whimpered between breaths, tears glistening her muzzle as Sweetie Belle tilted her head at them. "I don't wanna go anywhere, Mr. Sin. Can we please just go back home?"
"Not yet sweetheart," he pecked her cheek and looked down at the hazel-eyed filly. Suddenly an idea came to mind and he smiled at Sweetie Belle while Pinkie Pie slowly descended the stairs with a familiar mare right behind her. He lifted Rose in the air to get a good look at her. "But why don't you say hello to her while I talk with the grownups."
"No, I just want to go home." the curly-haired filly whined, shaking her head furiously before reaching out to him for the return of his touch. "Please Mr. Sin, I want to go back home right now."
Sin sighs as he lets her fall back into his chest to hide from the world.
"What's the matter sweetheart?" he softens his gaze a little as the filly at his feet hops onto the couch for a better look. "You were doing alright when you met and befriended Skyla. You even shared a few laughs at the table this morning, but now you're acting completely different from before."
Rose Spark begins tear up. "I don't want to move around like I did with those mean dragons. They made me go places I did not want to go and did not care if I did not like it." she looks up to the human, eyes bloodshot and flooded with the horrid past of her foalnapping. "I don't want to go to other places, Mr. Sin. I don't want to be used to hurt other ponies."
Sin tenses up with anger at those words, but keeps a straight face as Pinkie Pie and the unicorn behind her watch at the bottom of the stairs, having heard every word she said. It was clear when he took a deep breath. . .a very deep breath, he was hanging by the thread of his own insanity. Pinkie Pie had to admit that behind those gorgeous eyes of his there was something dark and dangerous about him, something that made her shiver, not in fear of him but for those who should ever cross him. Still, it wasn't normal to have a creature of such appearance show so much through a single blink of his eyes.
Sin takes a moment to ponder what a good father should do, relying on old memories of his son having certain needs when it comes to calming down. Rose Spark was hardly any different from his first child, she had a very soft side to her and a bad history, one that breaks a child to the point of seclusion.
"Rose, look at me." he calmly requests. She shakes her head again and begins to sob in the crook of his neck, unaware of the glum looks received by the others. "Look at me baby. Look at me and listen."
"Oh, the poor thing. . ." Rarity says sadly, tears on the brink of escape as she approached with Pinkie Pie. "Who would be so foul as to hurt an innocent foal?"
"Whoever they are, they're nothing but real big meanies." Pinkie Pie scoffs while trying to find one of her many joke toys in her mane. Sin noticed this and blinked in uncertainty as she removed and returned objects that are pranking into her mane. He could have sworn there was a rubber chicken in there just now.
"Rose, look at me. . ." he pauses to make sure his tone had not raised towards the filly as she gained the energy to break away from crying against him. Their eyes meet and she whimpers while his hands wipe away the tears.
Finally, after caging his anger, Sin tells her in firm but loving tone, "Now you listen to me, little girl. There is absolutely—and I meanabsolutely—no way in any lifetime where I am going to take you places just so I can use you to hurt others. You and I will be visiting homes and taking trips from time to time, but it will be a cold day in hell before I dare lay a finger on you in a harmful way." He takes another breath, and in the corner of his eye notices the two mares smiling at him while Sweetie Belle takes the liberty of examining his cloak. He nuzzles the filly's snout, drawing out her giggle. "You are my daughter now, a piece of my family; and I will go above and beyond to keep you safe and happy."
Rose Spark grows with expectancy as he pets her mane. "Do you really mean that, Mr. Sin?" A small silence builds between them as she holds his hand. "Do you promise?"
Sin nods briefly, and with a snap of his finger, summons the first idea he found to be perfect for this filly's first step to trusting him. Though the living room was a little small for this, he did not seem to care about taking up space. Unfortunately said idea made the Fashionista yelp when the magic extending from his fingertips morphed into a, extremely large chest with various locks on it. "It's a promise that I will never break, but how about I show you the importance of it by sharing with you a very important object I've kept with me for a long time."
That got the curly-mane filly to smile. He was trying to earn her trust.
Just as the chest appeared, all of the locks came undone simultaneously and dropped to the floor. The lid slowly opened and Sin extended his magic to the contents glowing inside. The strings of black and white magic hooked onto something at the bottom of the chest as Rarity and Pinkie Pie reared up to have a gander at what's inside. Sweetie Belle was curious as well, but she became too interested with the man's cloak when it engulfed everything but her head.
Rarity gasped during Sin's retrieval, her eyes wide and sparkling with the various colors of rare gems resting in a pocket nailed to the walls. "Are. . .are those. . .different colored diamonds?" she leaned her head in to get a closer look, only to find more pockets filled with treasures from different histories. Her heart almost skipped a beat. "Th-those are platinum coins, forged in dragonfire. And-and that is a black ruby from Neigeria, said to be so rare that anypony who possesses one is wealthier than most the princesses."
"Hey, look at that neat-o hat hanging at the top." Pinkie Pie pointed at the inside of the lid, which made the Element of Generosity more envious. Hats from different countries were poorly strung about on hooks, each being a magnificent design. "Wow, I like the red and pink pointy hat with ribbons."
"I would not touch any of those hats, girls." Sin chuckled, while giving to his daughter a very special, very powerful, ball of silver. He snapped his fingers again, and away the chest went before Rarity could grab one of the diamonds for better examination. She looked at her hoof and whimpered like a lost puppy. "I use those to interrogate criminals, and the one you like just so happens to be enchanted with a series of jinx's. One minute of wearing that thing and you'll be a drooling mess from seeing your deepest, darkest fears come to life right before your eyes."
Pinkie Pie cringed at those words before attending to the moment he was having with his confused daughter. His hand holds out the silver ball, and she grabs onto it with her hoof as her eyes reflect against the surface. Rose Spark was completely ensnared by the strange object starting to contort and gurgle in a cute tone.
"What is it?" she asks.
Sin's smile grows big at the sight of his most prized possession circling her hoof for better understanding of its surroundings. The tickling of her fur makes the morphed silver giggle before 'it' comes to life on her hoof. It frightened the pony to her core for a moment, but she soon realized how friendly it was it the first thing it did is chime happily. The creature had no eyes or a mouth, just a pudgy body that can walk or slither across most surfaces.
Sin rested tickled the cheerful organism by its stomach and laughed with Rose.
"He's a very special creature that my third master created for dark purposes." Sin replied. "He was named blob, but that name always made him angry. He likes to be called Jack, and he is all yours now."
"Mine?" Rose asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, he is;" Sin nodded. "And he does not have to be fed at all. He feeds on the natural energies around us. Now if you're really nice to Jack, he'll play with you, keep you company, and do many amazing things most animals cannot do."
"Like what?"
"Like—" he looked down at Jack, smiling mischievously. "—Turn into you!"
Suddenly the silver lump jumped onto the floor and grew ten times its size, morphing into an exact copy of her within two seconds. Everyone but Sin gawked in astonishment of the mushy creature transforming and mimicking the filly hopping out of his arms in excitement.
"Whoa!" she yelped.
"Whoa!" Jack mimicked.
"Holy cow, that is so cool!" Sweetie Belle tossed the cloak into a corner and darted next to Rose Spark.
"And more." Sin quipped.
After a few minutes of coping with the adjustment, Sin sat across the table with Rarity handling the tea she offered him, albeit very poorly. She was burning up from Sin's shirt coming off when the temperature inside her own home was too much for a long-sleeved shirt. It wasn't like him to wear such clothing, but having a new daughter made his priorities sort themselves out. He knew he could go about as a shirtless all the time, but this was for the circumstance of not sweating after having a shower only an hour ago.
She feels something rest against settle on her head as the tea was placed at the middle of table. She looks up to find the human's hand rubbing slowly behind her ear.
"Thanks for the tea and letting my daughter play with your sister. It means alot to me that Rose Spark makes a few friends and learns to trust others."
Rarity smiles at him and pours him a cup.
"It is no trouble at all darling, she is a filly that needs a friend or two after all." She leans over and nuzzles his arm, before taking her seat. "Now I do believe you were brought here for a reason, correct?"
Sin shakes his head and points at Pinkie Pie, who happened to be dropping cube after cube of sugar into her cup.
"Actually, I had plans to go to a city known as Canterlot for Rose Spark. I promised to buy her toys and whatever else a filly needs. I also planned on some training, but she decided to introduce me to her closest friends."
"And what a coincidence that I am one of those friends." Rarity coos to her pink friend. "Pinkie, you are dear when you want to be."
Pinkie Pie was going to respond to the unicorn with a few words of their friendship being that strong of a family's bond, but the two sips she took gave her a dangerous overload of sugar and began to shake uncontrollably. Sin noticed this and leaned away for his own safety, as did Rarity.
"Is she going to be alright?" he asked.
"I'll handle this." Rarity stood up and walked to her while the Element of Laughter started to rise out of her seat in a slow burst of mind-blowing magic.
Sin just watched in a mixture of wonder and fear as Pinkie Pie continued to rise from her seat. He wasn't sure if this was part of her behavior or some sort illness she's contracted. He follows to Rarity calling his name as she opens the door with magic. They watch in different perspectives of their sugar loaded friend breaking the laws of physics by jetting across the room, bouncing from wall to wall with a big smile on her face. The tea pot and cups launch off the table and shatter on the floor, spilling the freshly brewed drink across her clean kitchen floor.
Suddenly she takes a wrong turn and soars at the human, his eyes widening in terror.
"SHIT!" Sin throws himself back and falls on the floor in time to miss the head collision heading his way. Rarity just stands at the door and waves a hoof at her pink friend rocketing out of her home in the blink of an eye.
Rarity pokes her head out the door and watches Pinkie Pie disappear in the distance.
"Next time I'll have sugarfree cubes, darling. Ta-ta for now."
She closes the door and exasperates deeply, "Well that is one catastrophe avoided, but my tea pot is ruined and my floor is dirty." She looks up to see Sin poking his head through the entryway, magic flaring in his hands in case of another Pinkie Pie Missile. She laughs at this and approaches, ignoring the two fillies hugging their new playmate as he reverted from a full shield to his normal lumpiness.
"I take it you have never seen Pinkie Pie on a sugar rush."
Sin shook his head.
"Well then, that is what you would call a level one Pinkie Pie Sugar Rush."
"THERE ARE LEVELS!?" Sin screamed, still holding onto the entryway. He knew a pony can be unique other than having a special talent, but this was beyond his comprehension.
"Yes, there are five to be exact." Rarity said, moving to her cupboard to fetch the small broom and dustpan inside as well as make some conversation with Sin. He already admitted it was not his doing to pay her a visit, but since he is here she might as well become acquainted with him. He is a new resident, after all.
"Are you pulling my leg or being serious with me?" Sin asked over his shoulder, watching the two fillies take turns requesting Flubber to shapeshift. Rarity looked up from floor, but continued to sweep the glass into the dustpan.
"Darling, Pinkie Pie is the most energetic and friendly pony in Ponyville. She has a tendency to take things too far; especially for the fact of a new friend coming to town—that friend being you."
"Is she a normal pony?"
"We're not sure, but we love her dearly. She brings smiles to everypony and makes life fun."
"Uhhh. . . yeah." Sin said flatly.
Rarity continued cleaning the tea off the floor and continued scouring his body, having to remind herself that somepony already has her heart, though she clearly knew what the mares were talking about now.
My goodness he is so small, but those muscles are to die for. And that plot of his. . . Sweet Celestia!
Her mind mentally imaged a mare or two grasping those flanks as it thought about breaking the rules, but her heart ached to remind the unicorn that infatuation is not the same as love. She has a lover, a coltfriend that is faithful, and she does not plan to ruin anything between them. What she did not know, however, was that Sin had already looked back to see if she was finished, but without a doubt, he would not stop her from gendering at his firm backside while relaxing against the wall. That is exactly why he could call himself a charming man and allowed her ogling to last for as long as she was going to let it.
Sin knew that behind those big, sparkling eyes there was a stallion already in Rarity's heart, but that did not mean one has to be denied the allowance of ogling another from a distance. Temptation was the enemy and always has been in his life, something he grew into over the many generations of denying and rejecting other mares. Now that is a long list he did not want to unravel; if there was anything in this world that needs to remain a secret, it's that list.
Having forgotten all about Pinkie Pie's shenanigan and Rarity already mopping up the spilt tea, Sin dwindled on the flickering memory of his last dare in the Gryphon Empire and grew a smug grin. Those were days of a good life, being the mischief, naughty man he can be when the females threw bits to watch him unclothe. Unwavering loyalty as the Gryphon General, but a fun and dirty man whenever he is off the clock and drunk enough to forget his misdeeds. He brushed his hair with a single stroke of his hand and used the other hand for stretching. He pretended to loosen his muscles while watching from the corner of his eye the Element of Generosity biting down on her hoof to the point of bleeding. He chuckled evilly and set his hands against the edge of his shirt, pinching both sides without hesitation of the fillies finding out.
Just the shirt should be enough.
Suddenly he spun to the unicorn fighting her desperate urge to leave the room for a few minutes and removed the smile before she could notice. "Wow, I'm not one to feel heated but it sure is stuffy in here." He lifted the shirt in a fluid motion and placed it against the chair he sat in, acting as though he were about to approach when it was really just a rouse. "Sorry about that Miss Rarity, but any longer and I'll start sweating. You don't mind, do you?"
Rarity barely shook her head at the human as he walked past her to fetch a glass of water, her jaw dropped as far as it will go when she saw his chest. Her legs went numb with excitement as she tried to find the proper words for what she just witnessed. It seemed impossible to have such grace and handsomeness in her house, and with no attire to cover his top half! Rarity had to sit down before her legs gave out.
"Oh dear me," she whispered to herself, quietly thrusting a hoof to her chest to be sure her heart had not stopped. Unfortunately the heat throughout her body indicated the worst possible sign of her crime. She was blushing.
Sin saw this and decided to approach the mare, worrying over the fact of most females not having as much control as she does. It was very impressive that this magnificent beauty was able to hold herself back. The start of his day usually consisted of letters piling through the slot in his door, letters with confessions of love and desire—that is to say when he lived in a normal house and had a normal life, but that was a long time ago. He had to give the unicorn some respect for this, and, maybe, a small gain of trust. She was a first to him, a rare soul who still listens to her conscience.
"You okay?" he asked, petting the back of Rarity's neck as she took in a deep breath to calm herself down. Once her mind was balanced and the devious thoughts were set aside for her and her lover tonight, she nodded, and then smiled warmly.
"I am alright darling, just a little under the weather." Rarity lied, her smile hiding the tingle his hands brought to her skin. Sin was about to let things stop where they are now, but the one bead of sweat falling off her eyebrow triggered more. He knew by that one bead of sweat the removal of his shirt got under her skin and felt a little harder pushing of her buttons would not hurt anything. With the foals still playing, Sin leaned into her ear and inhaled slowly.
"A little under the weather," he breathed heavily but slowly into the mare's ear, causing her to yelp. "Well let's hope your coltfriend can fix your illness when you tell him to wear a shirt and remove it. . . slowly."
Rarity stiffened at the mention of having a coltfriend. She ceased breathing as the human walked around the table and took his seat, holding the same glass of water he went for in the beginning. There was an awkward silence between them, but Sin took quick care of that before things went the wrong way.
"Sorry about that—" he took a sip of the purified water. "—Being an Immortal opens your mind to many things; and teasing females is one of my many qualities. I like to see if there is one female in this world that can hold herself back. Surprisingly, you're the first to actually express desire and lust but not adhere to it."
Rarity broke from her stun, shaking her head in confusion. "You mean this was all just some sort of test—that which you give to every female you see?" she asked in a disgruntled tone, cocking an eyebrow. Sin beamed a childish smile and laughed through his teeth.
"Yup, but you passed." he chirped as though there was nothing to it. Rarity, however, was not too pleased by this. At most, she was insulted by his rude behavior and vulgar display of muscle for the benefit of teasing the Tartarus out of her. "Congratulations, you're the first to actually show control and good conscience."
Rarity narrowed her gaze at him, nearly scrunching with frustration. "I'll have you know, Mr. Firestorm, that I am an upscale, proper, elite mare, who is not to be treated like some cheap piece of flank." She said proudly, brushing him off with a flip of her mane. "I have standards and pride in who I am."
"Very respectable in my eyes." Sin complimented, with a small toast of his glass.
"Yes, but for you to do such things when we just met is absolutely rude and unbecoming." she pointed out very harshly, before snatching the near-empty glass from him. "I had hoped that you were not some crude male, but I can clearly see that you are no different from the others."
"Wrong, Miss Rarity. I have standards of my own, but I do not show them unless for important business or a gathering."
"Regardless," she snapped in a quiet tone, emphasized with a firm set of the glass against the table. Sin actually leaned back when he saw this. He never had a mare act so angry with him, let alone lean across the table and press her snout against his nose. "What you did just now is insulting to me as a mare. You used to see if I was like any other females you've met and it crawls under my fur in a disgusting manner. You insulted my integrity for your gain and I want a proper apology right now!"
Sin backed himself into a corner at this point and was at a loss with the unhappy mare retreating to her side of the table. He scratched the back of his head and sighed while she looked away and crossed her hooves, glaring at the wall to her left whilst finding every reason not to kick him out of the house. If was, definitely, not going to be same as it was in Gryphonia. Sin learned that just now and in the hardest way possible. To think there was someone in this world like Rarity had been a wonder of his own for many years. But now that he has found the answer to this mystery he realized how wrong he was about his assumption of being proud to find such a beautiful mind. He was not happy at all to find a mare like her. No, he was nervous. He was terrified on the inside.
"Well," Rarity glared at him from the corner of her eye. "I am waiting for my apology."
Coming to the conclusion of being in defeat, Sin held his head in shame and mentally kicked himself.
"Alright, I'm sorry for being a tease just now." he said genuinely, but that did not strike to the unicorn as a convincing apology. She held her stare on the human biting his lip, smiling grimly behind her mane. "I had no intention of insulting you in any way possible, Miss Rarity. I simply wanted to see if there is someone that can hold back, because every female, even the one known as Spitfire, has been direct with their interest in me, but that is not an excuse for my actions." He looked up to her with an apologetic smile. "Again, I apologize for being. . . unbecoming."
"Apology accepted." Rarity said before clapping her hooves together. Sin cocked an eyebrow, he know better than to ignore a female turning on a dime so quickly; especially when they clap. Knowing already, he cringed on the inside, preparing for what this pony has in store for him. "Now I do believe you and I have a bit of a predicament; if I recall correctly, you did rescue my satchel from that ruffian and I have yet to repay you."
Sin blinked in surprise, before waving a hand at her in disregard of her upcoming offer. "You do not have to pay me back for anything. I just did what any good person or pony would do in a situation like that." he told her in a calm tone. But, to his dismay, the sparkle that which glowed in her eyes previously brightened in the inspiration of fashion, and she shook her head to show his words mean nothing.
"Nevertheless, you saved me a great deal of trouble and compensation needs to be given for your heroism." she said sternly, flipping her mane once more. Sin stared at her, flatly.
"I don't need any bits from you, Miss Rarity. I have enough to last me for over half of millennia." He reached into his left pocket and pulled out a bill fold of his funds, pointing at the latest number to his exact bank amount. Rarity simply shrugged it off and giggled at his ignorance. But who could blame him? She is the Element of Generosity, and being generous is part of her elegant nature.
"Oh my oblivious friend~" she mused, standing up to retreat to her sewing room. "I am not going to pay you in bits. No, I am going to give you something special."
"Dare I ask," Sin groaned before having his wrist tugged by Rarity's magic. He was walking fast up the stairs now, trying his best to make through the narrow staircase. "Rose Spark, stay where you are. I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Okay," chirped the redhead.
"Time for a new outfit~" was the last thing anyone heard before Rarity closed the door.
"So is that your dad?" Sweetie Belle asked, poking one of Jack's legs as he rolled on the floor. Rose Spark nodded slowly while watching the little mush of silver laugh himself into a bunch of puddles.
"Yeah, but he adopted me. I was an orphan." she replied.
"He seems pretty cool for a weird, hairless Minotaur." Sweetie Belle pointed out. "
"He is kind of cool, but he's also very weird."
"For being hairless?"
"No, because he has weird powers that come out when he sleeps."
"Really? Like what?"
"Like, he can turn into some weird thing with a long horn, grow big wings, and a huge tail like an alicorn."
"Wait, what!?" Sweetie Belle snapped. "That sounds just like an alicorn!"
"That's the weird thing about it," Rose Spark argued. "He was still furless and tall. What's even weirder is he grew claws, fangs, and all those marks on his body glowed black and white."
"And you saw this how?"
"I snuck into his room last night and saw it happen. I was really cold and had a nightmare. When I saw it happen I ran out of the room, but I don't think he was going to hurt me, because he was crying in his sleep and saying Tia and Lulu over and over again."
"Tia and Lulu?" Sweetie Belle questioned, receiving a nod from her new friend. "That's really weird, but normal never happens here in Ponyville."
Meanwhile in Rarity's design room, Sin stood lazily against the wall as the first tool for measuring levitated to the table. He watched without a care as the Fashionista dubbed herself with the same red glasses she wears and prepared for this new challenge. She was extremely determined to fit this man with the best outfit bits can buy. Her measuring tape was at her side and unrolled. The stage was open, and so was her mind. She took a quill, some ink, and a large scroll into consideration for the main fact of new material being in her shop. There is always the normal collection of numbers she easily keeps to her memory, but new designs from new customers meant the world to her. Precision and perfection need to be shown.
"Now then, shall we begin?" she asked rhetorically, nudging the man onto her personal stage. Sin grumbled the entire way, but stood still and straight as the first measurement started with his legs.
"I really do not need a fancy garment, Miss Rarity." he urged, but the sound of her humming indicated how pointless it was to convince her. He was only hearing himself talk for the first couple of minutes of this mare taking careful measurements.
"Is your species always this thin?" Rarity asked, scribbling the measurement of his thighs. Sin chuckled a little and pat his chest in pride of the figure he earned.
"My species can be fat or thin, judging by the diet we have." He said, amused of the unicorn's curiosity. "And this is far from either. My figure is one most humans work hard to achieve. I have an athletic body."
"And the bulging parts of your body?" Rarity questioned, gently poking at his revealed torso while measuring it.
"This is what you would call a six-pack, another good sign of excellent athleticism."
"And your legs?"
"All muscle, including my arms. This all comes with eating right and having a good schedule of exercising."
"Seems a bit odd to me, but I have never met a human before."
"Until two days ago."
"Yes," she giggled. "Until two days ago. Now I need to measure your . . " she realized the body parts of a human are unknown and became nervous. "Um. . .oh dear."
"My chest?" Sin pointed at himself, specifically his shirt.
"Yes, your chest." the unicorn nodded, but was mentally thanking Celestia for Sin's casual attitude. Now if only he acted that way when they were downstairs. "Would you kindly remove your shirt so I may finish?"
At that question Sin lost his smile and descended to the edge of said stage, falling to his rump as the first sleeve slipped from his arm. He enchanted the cutie marks on his chest to appear nonexistent, but did not touch the scars across his body for the fact of them being inflicted with dark magic. Slowly, he lost his reason to be happy and wondered if Rarity has a strong enough mind to stomach the suffering his form has been through. Ponies are not well-known to handle any form of injury; and having enough scars to make a small canvas would not be taken lightly by her.
To his unfortunate time of thought there was a small tug of the shirt as the unicorn stood at his back, measuring tape raised and ready at the last second. She smiled at the final preparation to her new design in mind and wondered if the new silk from Saddle Arabia would be great.
"Thank you, darling. Now I can—" Rarity broke off at the first marking across the human's back, gasping in horror as she lost focus of measuring tape. Her eyes jolted widely, shock overtaking her innocent mind while Sin looked over his shoulder in shame. Rarity didn't know what to say or think of the damage.
Sin shook his head and took the measuring tape with a snap of his fingers, measuring himself and writing down the numbers. After that, he stood up and dressed again, walking towards the door. "I think we're done with measurements. I'll grab my daughter and see us out."
"Darling," Rarity snapped herself back to what is happening and charged the man, stepping between him and the door. She looked up and their eyes met, albeit different perspectives. "Where in Equestria did you get all those horrid scars?"
Sin turned to his left, gazing emptily at the wall as his memory echoed the various screams of his pain. A part of him wanted to stay silent and leave the mare to her sickened confusion, but the moral of speaking the complete truth overtook him. There was no debate when it came to choosing which is best for himself; especially when telling others made him feel a little more at peace with the past. He doesn't know why, but something about sharing the horrors of his life made some of the weight fall of his shoulders.
"War, being an experiment, but those are just minor scars." he replied, causing the mare to gasp in her hoof. Sin felt how hurt she was for his suffering and decided to specify the worst of the scars. He spun so she saw the horrible makings of his person and pointed at the many long and thick ones curving in every direction.
"These scars, however, are from my adopted father taking a whip to my back when he tried to lash against a helpless Centaur."
"Your father!?" she took a step back, pressing to her heart. Anger began to rise above the sickness in her stomach. "What kind of father would be so cruel he abuses his colt?"
"King Solaris, or High Chancellor Solaris of Equus as you would call him now."