Chapter 8: The Inner Machinations of my Soul are an Enigma

With the matter concerning Shirou's past being resolved at the moment, the group was able to unwind. The tensions had been pretty high throughout and everypony was glad things had concluded for the better. That was until Twilight realized she'd forgotten a major bit of information.

"Wait!" She shouted, interrupting the pleasant mood that had fallen. Everypony's eyes fell on her

"Shirou! When I asked you earlier what that strange place you summoned was, you told us it was a world made from your soul right?!"

"Yeah?" Shirou was a little confused at Twilight's outburst.

"How?!"

"How what?"

"How did you make a whole world with your soul?! It just sounds too outlandish! I can't even begin to think of the sheer number of calculations and spell theories needed to even consider it a possibility."

"Oh, that's what you meant. Simply put, I don't know."

"What?" Twilight searched him for any sign that he might be messing with her, but found nothing. She was absolutely flabbergasted. "What do you mean you don't know?!"

"I just don't. Rin tried to explain it to me once, but even she couldn't understand anything beyond the basic premise."

"Why didn't you try to look into it more then?"

"Cause we'd be killed or worse."

"What?!" At this everypony shouted in surprise.

"Research into Reality Marbles is an incredibly taboo subject in the world of magi. To the degree that anyone caught doing so would either be killed on the spot or be given a Sealing Designation which could lead to its own horrible fate."

"That just doesn't make sense! If you can do something so amazing and impossible, why wouldn't you want to study it?" Twilight was getting fed up with all this untouched potential research and the ludicrous restrictions of the magi.

"Well, I'm not too sure why its taboo, but I do know that any mage would be desperate to get their hands on a Reality Marble user. Which usually leads to a Sealing Designation. Anyone branded with one is hunted down by the Clock Tower to be used as research material for furthering their attempts to reach the Root. And by research material, I mean material for dissection and study, possibly while still alive. Rin didn't want me to have a Sealing Designation so we made sure to never reveal it nor try and research it."

The ponies just stared at Shirou in horror at the idea of an institution willing to cut somepony open just for research. Much less the fact they had a whole system in place for such a thing.

"Shirou, what the hay is wrong with the magi in your world?!" Applejack was the first to express her outrage.

"Indeed, such barbaric practices should be forbidden in any civilization." Even Princess Celestia felt the need to comment on how angered she was by these Magi.

"If you're all mad about that, then I don't think you want to know how bad Magi society can really get." Shirou figured perhaps it was best to avoid the subject of the Clock Tower and its den of snakes for now.

"The Clock Tower sounds like an awful place and I shudder at considering it a place of study. So how about we go back to what you can tell us about Reality Marbles? Or at least what you can tell us about yours." Twilight decided to steer the conversation back to the original topic she was still very interested in.

"We would like to hear more of this Reality Marble as well. Considering thy ability allowed thee to face our malevolent self on near equal grounds. Something no pony hath ever considered a possibility due to the absolute strength and potency of Alicorn magic." Luna was very grateful for Shirou's ability aiding in her darker ego's defeat. Yet she still wanted to better understand the strange magic of her alien savior. Before my banishment I did make it my responsibility to study the ancient arcane arts to aid my sister. She may be better at politics, but I was always the more adept at spellcraft. I feel it would be remiss of me to not continue my efforts now that I have been granted a second chance. I must make full use of my newfound freedom.

Clearing his throat and assuming one of the many Tohsaka lecture poses, as he'd come to call them. Shirou prepared to tell them what he knew as he placed his left hand on the elbow of his right arm. Then he raised his right forearm straight up with his index finger out and pointing to the ceiling.

"From what I understand, a Reality Marble is the conceptualization of a person's inner world or a reflection of their soul. For example, mine is the Unlimited Blade Works where an infinite number of weapons reside. This is due to my spirit and origin being Sword. From the moment I was saved from the flames that burned away my past, my life has been constantly influenced by the concept of a Sword. In fact, to save me from my massive injuries, my father implanted the sacred sheath of King Arthur into me. Its name was Avalon, and it shared its name with an Ever-Distant Utopia. That sheath was renowned for its healing properties to the point it made King Arthur immortal so long as they held it in their possession. Even if I wasn't its original wielder, the sheath provided enough healing to prevent me from succumbing to my injuries."

"A sheath? Was that the bright light I saw in your memories about the fire?" Twilight was glad to have an answer to what that strange light she had seen in her dreams was.

"Probably, I tend to remember Kiritsugu's smile more than anything else. Many years after that event I would summon my own servant during the Holy Grail War. I summoned the King of Knights, Arturia Pendragon. She was my Saber." He gained a melancholic smile as he remembered his brief but memorable time with Saber.

Celestia saw his smile and knew all too well the feeling he was experiencing. How she longed for those moments, gone to time. It was all too common for the immortal ruler, yet she wouldn't let such sadness prevent her from forming further memories with her little ponies.

"Shirou, thy mentioned that this Saber was a King named Arturia. Would they perhaps be related to this King Arthur thy had previously referred to as the owner of Avalon?" Luna found these brief glimpses into Shirou's past fascinating. How different must his life have been? Even in a world so different from our own, his life seems to be a unique case.

"About that, you see in my world, the legend of King Arthur states they were male. It was customary for rulers to be male in ancient times so Arturia passed herself off as a male. So her legend records her as a man, but in reality she was a woman. How she was able to convince everyone to believe it was probably due to her immense charisma. I do admit she was quite beautiful and she held a strong belief in the idea of Chivalry. I don't think I ever connected with someone so quickly and so deeply before."

As he gained an expression of longing, Twilight felt a twinge of jealousy that somepony could make Shirou feel such a way. To form such strong bonds with others, can I also do such a thing? I already made a bunch of new friends. She looked to each of the mares that had joined them to defeat Nightmare Moon and the Princesses. I hope that our friendships continue to deepen. Perhaps then I'll know what Shirou feels whenever he thinks about the ponies he met in his past.

"You said she was a king of knights right?" At Shirou's nod, Rainbow continued. "That means she must've known some cool moves and stuff! Oh, could you teach me some of her techniques?!"

"She did know some of the best swordsmanship I've ever seen, but I'm not sure I'd be able to replicate her training in a way suitable for ponies. I don't mind helping you train if you wish though. It'll help keep me in top form as well."

"Great! Cause all this talking has bored me. At least now I have something to look forward to." To highlight her point, Rainbow did a small loop in the air before sitting down again.

"I must ask darling, would you ever be willing to share the story of King Arturia to us? It's just that I really love to hear stories about kings and knights. And it sounds like they led quite an interesting life from what little you've told us."

"Certainly, Rarity. The legend of King Arthur is well known back on Earth for a reason. It does help that at its core the legend exemplifies the human desire to create a Utopia. Also there are plenty of other stories I can tell you in a similar vein if you all want. Like the stories of each of her knights. She was the King of Knights because she was a knight and was followed by great knights with legends of their own. Such as Lancelot of the Lake who was said to surpass even Arturia in skill. Or Gawain the Knight of the Sun who wielded the sword Excalibur Galatine that drew its power from the Sun."

The ponies looked to Shirou in wonder as he described the legends of his world. Celestia in particular wished to know more about this supposed Knight of the Sun.

"That'd be wonderful darling! We could even have some tea or even a picnic while you tell us all these fascinating stories!" Rarity was already imagining the kind of stallions that could warrant such magnificent tales. With all this excitement I just can't help but feel inspired! I need to begin some sketches once I've returned to Ponyville.

"We could throw a party and you could tell us everything like a bard!" Pinkie was simply ecstatic to have more friends to spend time with and wanted to throw as many parties with them as possible.

"I'm not sure I can play the role of a bard all that well. I wouldn't mind having a gathering of sorts when I tell you all about them. So long as Twilight's fine with it I think we could definitely make an event out of it." Shirou looked at Twilight expectantly.

"Ah, yeah I think that'd be great! It'll also let us spend more time together as friends." With that, everypony cheered at the thought of furthering their friendship.

"I do hope you have space for us as well?" Celestia's own curiosity had been peaked and she knew her sister well enough to suspect she would like to attend as well.

"Of course, Princess! We'd be honored to have you join us." Twilight quickly responded as the other ponies nodded in agreement.

"Then it's decided. Shirou, you shall retell the legends from your world so that we may all learn more about your world." And perhaps through your retelling we can learn more about you. Celestia smiled at Shirou and her ponies.

"Now that that's settled. Shirou, can you please continue your explanation of Reality Marbles?" Twilight wasn't about to forget the whole reason for this conversation so quickly.

"Aw, but I wanted to hear more about those cool knights Shirou mentioned." Spike had always enjoyed a good story filled with action.

"We've already begun plans for that at a later time, Spike. I reckon Twilight wouldn't be all too pleased to continue derailing the conversation." Applejack, used to dealing with her little sister, decided to keep things on track after Spike's complaint.

"Applejack has a point Spike. I'm sorry we can't continue that line of thought today, but I promise to make sure Shirou has plenty of stories to tell once we set a time and place." Twilight consoled Spike when he started to mope.

"Don't worry Spike, there are plenty of legends from Earth to tell you about. For now let's get back to the main topic." Shirou gave Spike a sympathetic smile before continuing. "I've established how my life has been greatly influenced by the concept of a Sword. Rin once called me distorted due to my past. I think she had a point, and that's probably why I was able to manifest my Reality Marble."

"Why would a friend of yours call you distorted? Are your abilities not to be applauded instead for their uniqueness?" Celestia found magi to be a very odd if not outright wretched bunch. She was quite confused that even a friend of Shirou's would say such possibly mean things to him as well. "May I add that the idea of creating a world of your own is incredible. One would think only a God would be able to perform such a feat."

"As cruel as it may sound, she didn't mean it as an insult. At the time she was just pointing out how odd she found my mannerisms. Let's just say that as far as humans go I am not a good example of what a normal one would be like." Shirou scratched his cheek sheepishly at that. The others gave him some odd looks but dropped the matter. "While I appreciate your praise, at the end of the day my Reality Marble isn't all that impressive compared to what Gods can actually do. After all, my Reality Marble can only exist for a short time and it's full of fake copies."

"It's fine to be humble, but don't sell yourself short, Shirou." Celestia had some experience with those who could be called overly humble. Yet Shirou went beyond even them from what she'd seen. To hold so little worth for their incredible abilities. Shirou, you are truly a unique individual. I don't think I've been this intrigued by somepony in a long while. I trust that Twilight will help you, but perhaps I should aid her as well.

Shirou couldn't help but feel embarrassed by the insistent Princess' praise. He was far too used to treating his Reality Marble as more of a heavy responsibility than an achievement.

"I'll keep your words in mind, Your Majesty." Celestia could only sigh in exasperation, knowing all too well he was choosing to move on. "Now, another important thing to note about Reality Marbles is that they're technically Bounded Fields."

"Bounded Field?" Twilight asked. I really need to set aside some time to discuss all the knowledge of magecraft Shirou has.

"Bounded Fields are a type of magecraft most magi can use. They consist of a barrier created with magical energy with a set of parameters that are bound to a location. These parameters can be simple things like detecting when someone enters the field. The more complex the parameters and the larger the field, the more mana is needed to keep the field active. That's a basic rundown of Bounded Fields."

"Oh! Can you make a party field!" Pinkie's comment caused Shirou to question what a party Bounded Field would even entail.

"I'm sure you can ask Shirou more about Bounded Fields later Pinkie. How 'bout we let him finish explaining his Reality Marble." Applejack decided to have Pinkie settle down before she completely derailed the conversation.

"Thanks Applejack." Shirou smiled gratefully at her. "The reason a Reality Marble can be considered an advanced Bounded Field is due to its similarity in being a boundary created with set parameters in a location. Except the difference is the sheer scale and conceptual weight. For example, my Unlimited Blade Works is a world full of swords and other bladed weapons. The parameters are determined by the user's perception of the world. In my case, that perception is a world full of swords. Every weapon I see I can immediately run under Structural Analysis and learn its entire history from its creation to its wielders. When I record a weapon, a copy is stored within my inner world. That leads to my world being a land full of weapons, each one is a copy of a weapon I've seen and whenever I need them I can also summon them from there."

To showcase this he traced a nameless short sword. It was of fine make, but nothing special. The ponies looked at the blade that had manifested in awe. With the knowledge that it was one of the many in Shirou's soul they truly saw it in a new light.

"So what you're saying is you see the world so vastly differently from anypony else that it lets you just create your own world?" Twilight asked as she gave him a quizzical look.

"Pretty much. It does sound a bit far-fetched but you've seen it for yourself."

"I suppose that also explains why it looked so bleak in there." At that comment, Shirou cringed a little. Noticing his expression, Twilight quickly added, "of course we're still working on improving that together."

"It's been a while since I've had time to just talk and spend time with friends. Thanks for that, and I will do my best to work towards our new goal." Shirou and Twilight shared a smile as they looked into each other's eyes. This little moment brought some giggles from the mares well aware of what they were witnessing.

"Thy explanation still leaves much unknown. Are there no calculations or frames of spellwork to be performed for such a feat?" Luna broke the moment as she was far more concerned with trying to figure out the mystery behind a Reality Marble.

"Not really, it just requires a specific mindset which is so alien to the world that one can create a world of their own. It's kind of simple in that it just requires a large amount of mana to keep running, but aside from that it's all about conceptualizing and realizing one's inner world."

"How unfortunate, we hoped there would be some sort of framework to work with that wasn't so abstract." Luna resigned herself to allowing this form of magecraft to elude her for now. I will keep a close eye on Shirou. In time I might be able to better understand how he is able to perform such an amazing feat. His knowledge of foreign magic will be invaluable. It truly has been too long since I last was able to indulge in spellcraft. Celestia noticed a small content smile creepy onto her sister's face and was glad to see her finding joy once again.

"I am dreadfully sorry to cut our conversation short," started Rarity, "but it has been quite a while now and I feel we'd all like some time to recover before celebrating. Especially after all the revelations we've experienced today." Rarity did want to freshen up a bit before the party.

Everpony else had been feeling the emotional weariness settling on them. They had managed to stave it off through their interest into the subject of Reality Marbles. But now it weighed on them and they could use a break.

"You're right Rarity. I wanted to sate my curiosity and it seems that Shirou has given us as much information as he could." At Shirou's confirmation Twilight continued, "if the Princess is okay with it, we should head to our rooms to recharge. We do have a party to celebrate tonight after all."

"Why of course my dear Twilight. Let us return to our quarters and prepare for the festivities ahead." At this announcement the gathered ponies got up and thanked the Princesses once more for allowing them to attend lunch with them. "You are all, most welcome, my little ponies. I shall have the attendants and cooks prepare for the party tonight. I'm sure Pinkie Pie would like to aid them as well."

"Yay!" Pinkie's infectious cheer at being able to throw a party in Canterlot had everyone smiling in joy.

"Thank you again, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. I'm sure we'll all have plenty of fun at the party." Twilight spoke for the group as they all felt the same as they nodded in agreement.

With that, all parties returned to their rooms. Shirou decided to follow Twilight and Spike as he still held it his responsibility to be by their side. Twilight for her part was grateful to have a friend around. Spike was also happy to talk to Shirou some more. They had some light conversation on the way back, but soon settled into a comfortable silence once they entered Twilight's room as she dove back into her books and Shirou meditated while Spike brought out some comics to read. Twilight wanted to know more about Shirou's strange magic, but first she had to brush up on her basics in case Shirou wanted to learn the Equestrian system of magic. Shirou's meditation involved bringing each sword belonging to a Knight of the Round Table to the forefront of his mind. From there he'd take a close look into their history as he prepared for his eventual recounting of their trials and tribulations.

-{/}-

Shirou decided to use the bathroom in Twilight's room to shower since he hadn't had a chance earlier. He still had to use the same clothing but those did get washed while he was out so it wasn't all that bad. Servants really are fortunate they're made up of Spiritrons and don't need to bathe or change clothes. At least now I understand how Saber felt when she couldn't get the usual benefits of having a proper Master.

Once he changed, he saw that the others were ready as well. Twilight had brushed her mane and Spike had made sure all his scales were in place. With all their preparations done they left the room and headed to their destination.

Upon reaching the hall set aside for the celebration they saw that Pinkie was already there finishing up the decorations. They were impressed by how fast she set it all up considering she'd only been given a few hours to work with. Especially with how large the hall was, with plenty of room and a row of windows to the side. These showed the night sky outside and some even led to small balconies should anypony wish to step outside.

"Heya friends! Aren't you excited!" Pinkie popped up in front of them, excitement clear on her face.

"Hey Pinkie. We're very excited!" Twilight decided to answer for the group and grinning back at her.

"Great! Well just get comfortable for now, there's plenty of seating and food too!" Pinkie quickly showed them the seats she'd set-up and the banquet of dinner items in the center of the hall. "I'm sure the others will be here shortly!"

As the group grabbed some grub, Pinkie was proven right as the other ponies funneled in soon after. The last to arrive were surprisingly enough the two Princesses.

"Good evening my little ponies. I am sorry for the delay. It took a bit longer to complete the arrangements for the Night Court now that Luna has returned." Celestia, ever the kind ruler, did feel bad for being the last to arrive at a party held within her castle.

"Indeed we ask for thy forgiveness. We should have foreseen such troubles and been prepared. Tis all in hindsight now, and we should not worry further for events that have already transpired." Luna agreed with her sister's sentiment but also felt there was nothing that could be done but move on.

"My dear sister is correct, we are here to celebrate. Seeing that everypony is present, it is time to kick off the festivities!" With that announcement, everypony cheered as they dug into their food and proceeded to enjoy the party delights.

Some played games while others shared stories or danced to the music that Pinkie had prepared. Where Pinkie got all the stuff for such a well put together party was anyone's guess. They were far more concerned in having a good time.

Seeing all these ponies enjoying themselves, Shirou couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious due to his alien status. He wasn't all too bothered, but still chose to step aside and moved to a nearby balcony. The cold night air always helped him clear his mind. Even in a world so different from Earth it's strange to see a moon so similar to the one back home. Home? Is that really what that world is to me? Rin and the others are still there, but I doubt I'll be able to return without some use of the Kaleidoscope. When was the last time I even felt I had a home? Perhaps losing Illya changed me in more ways than I ever considered. To lose that feeling of home, I really do miss you Illya. What path lies ahead, I don't know. I just hope that I can find a purpose that would make you happy.

"Pardon us, honored Shirou. We did not mean to intrude." Luna hadn't expected somepony to be at the balcony. She wanted to step away for a bit as she felt a bit overwhelmed by such festivities after a millennia in solitude. "We would leave thee to thy thoughts, but from the looks of it, thou hast an expression of melancholy. It would be remiss of us to not inquire if thou is alright?"

"Its fine, Princess. I just needed some fresh air. Seeing the moon hanging in the night sky also caused me to recall some memories." Shirou looked at Luna and saw how she studied his face. What she was searching for he had no clue.

"Thou enjoyest looking at the night sky?" Luna found it curious to see such an alien being like Shirou share an interest in the sea of stars she was intimately familiar with.

"Yeah, I used to moon watch with my old man a lot. I've noticed that the stars here are different, yet the moon remains a strangely familiar presence." Shirou's gaze returned to the moon, it was full and its light bathed the pair.

"It is comforting to know that another enjoys our night sky, especially our moon." Luna smiled in content.

"It really is a beautiful sky, the stars shine so brightly here. The moon's light feels ethereal, I'm sure my father would've enjoyed seeing such a view." Shirou truly felt entranced by the twinkling stars and shining moon.

"We thank thee for thy compliments." Luna was glad that Shirou appeared too distracted to notice the blush forming on her cheeks. It's been too long since anypony aside from Tia has complimented my night sky so earnestly.

A brief silence fell between the pair as Shirou basked in the glow of the moon and Luna joined him. Such a tranquil moment that felt as if it stretched on for hours. Yet it vanished just as quickly as it settled when Luna's inquisitive thoughts won her over.

"Hast thou been enjoying the festivities?"

"I've rarely attended parties before in all honesty. But Pinkie certainly knows how to throw some of the best I've seen." He smiled recalling her antics that left everyone laughing and enjoying their time. "Perhaps if more of the previous parties I've been to had been thrown by her, I'd have found myself enjoying them even more."

"What kind of parties did thee attend back then?"

"Before I moved to the Clocktower, my friends and I threw a party for my sister for her birthday. It was the best one I have ever been to even if it was just our small group. The party was quite simple as we didn't set up many decorations, but I made sure to bake her the best cake I could. Sakura helped me with the cooking as well. The others pitched in by setting up some streamers and a happy birthday sign. To Illya though, it appeared as if it was the grandest thing she'd ever seen. The way Illya's face lit up will stay with me forever." His smile grew melancholic recalling such wonderful moments stuck in the past.

"Thy love for thy sister is beyond commendable." Luna thought of her sister and how she'd caused her immense problems when she succumbed to her dark emotions. "We can only wish that we can prove ourself to our sister with this second chance. It would break us to cause our beloved sister any further suffering."

"I think you'll do fine as long as you remember that no matter what, your sister will always love you. Too often we younger siblings take that love for granted." Luna saw the pain in his eyes as he said this. "If you ever want to just talk about your worries then I wouldn't mind lending you an ear. We younger siblings should help each other out after all." The small chuckle he let out brought a smile to Luna's face.

"We thank thee for thy consideration, perhaps we shall take up thy offer in thine dreams."

"Oh? Are you able to dreamwalk?" This caught Shirou's attention as such a feat was incredibly rare. Of all the magi I know, I think only Merlin was capable of such a thing due to his heritage.

"Yes, it falls under our duties as the Princess of the Night. Dreamwalking allows us to visit our dear little ponies in their dreams. We use it to disperse whatever nightmares may plague them. It can also be used to commune with ponies while they sleep as the conversations they have there can be remembered even after waking up."

"I should warn you that my dreams can be a bit too much for most people. Wouldn't want you to walk into particularly traumatizing memories unprepared."

"We have seen all manner of dreams even before our banishment. Though we appreciate thy concern, we are more than prepared for the multitude of horrors present in the subconscious of many."

"In that case, can I ask you a favor?" Shirou thought it might be useful to have Luna help in a matter he was unable to do anything about.

"Certainly so long as it is within our power." Luna was quite happy to have somepony relying on her in all honesty.

"Can you check on Twilight? Unfortunately our connection as Servant and Master means she will be forced to relive my memories in her dreams. Already I've seen how some of these memories have left her deeply shaken up. I would be incredibly grateful if you could help her navigate these nightmares whenever they crop up."

"It would not take too much to check in on Twilight and after her actions in saving us, we believe she deserves proper rest. We would be more than honored to aid both you and Twilight in these matters. Worry not and know that we shall ensure that dear Twilight can find peace in her slumber once more." Seeing that Luna meant every word, Shirou gave her a very grateful smile. One again Luna found herself blushing at the sheer appreciation Shirou showed for her actions.

"Thank you Princess Luna." Shirou returned his gaze to the moon and its surrounding stars. "I think I'll spend a little more time out here before heading back inside. You're more than welcome to stay here as well, I do enjoy your company."

"If that is the case then we shall partake in thy company as well. It has been too long since we've spent any time with somepony simply basking in the light of the night sky." With her final piece said she turned to view her moon.

They spent another comfortable silence just enjoying the comforting night glow. No thoughts interrupted their moment this time, but the moment could not last forever. Eventually, Shirou decided to return to the party and Luna accompanied him.

The rest of the night was spent partying with everypony. There was much merriment and the laughter carried long into the night. In time exhaustion set in and they had to each turn in for the night. Although for Luna it meant she had to return to the duties she had once held all that time ago. She was eager to prove herself once more though so she took up her mantle with bountiful energy.

As for Shirou, he returned to Twilight's room. He refused to leave her alone as his responsibility as a Servant demanded he protect his Master at all times. Just as Saber had once stood by his side, he too would stand by Twilight's.