Far From Home

The next morning was... interesting. Moonlight and I woke up in our clearing as usual, still disguised, as I still wanted to stay in this town, but what woke me was a massive wooden wolf on the edge of the clearing. It looked confused, and I could tell it had been trying to hunt us, but my Chaos magic was throwing it off. The wary predator kept watch on us before growling, ready to lunge.

    I got ready to physically beat it off, with Moonlight looking around for the rest of the possible pack. I continued staring at it, as I stood straight looking it dead in the eye, daring it to attack. The stare down continued as I felt Moonlight tense against my side, facing the other direction, and I knew more of the pack had revealed themselves.

    Knowing it was the only way, I started channelling my magic into my wings, despite the fact I had no experience with the appendages, and they felt much more powerful and volatile than any Concussive Bark, or Dragon's Breath spell—the only two quick combat spells I'd ever managed to become some manner of proficient in. I shot my left wing out and released a Dragon's Breath spell, and felt the wave of heat leave me. The flame did its job in making the wolves of wood feel we weren't the easy meal they thought and leave, despite the flame being a pink that made that Pinkie mare look dull in comparison.

    Moonlight relaxed slightly and looked over at me, and said in an extremely annoyed tone, "If we can't remove the disguises for the nights, we are not sleeping in the woods anymore."

    "Fine by me. You know I can't quick cast. I can barely do the Bark, and that's the first time I've done the Breath since the incident."

    "Yeah, you're slower sure, but aren't you like, fifty times more powerful?"

    "Haven't I explained this to you before?"

    "Yes, but you never give a direct answer when I ask about your power level, or what happened during last year’s Midwinter Alpha Council beyond turning yourself into a literal bitch? Or, for that matter, what happened with the aborted wedding?"

    "The wedding story will only see the light of day if I see Luna in bright pink pantaloons with purple polka-dots, same with the power level explanation. Suffice to say quick casting is a bad idea should I lose control. This ties in with my outcasting.” I paused in thought before mentioning, “You know, I still don't understand why you stuck by me."

    At this comment she looked me directly in the eyes before giving her usual answer, just as solemn and earnest as it always is, "I never abandon my friends. Even if it was tough, we made it through."

    "Thanks Moonlight."

    "Your welcome. Oh look! We're here!" Going from solemn to puppishly excited, I turned as we exited the forest and started towards the outskirts of the town.

    I turned to Moonlight suddenly, feeling extremely panicked after a realization that nearly floored me. When she saw my face she looked around quickly for the threat, wondering what had me so panicked. I looked at her with a one thousand mile stare, appearing to stare through her, at something far in the distance. "Beef Jerky and Bacon," I said, sounding dead, "These forms can't consume meat. I can't make beef jerky or bacon... Why?! IN THE NAME OF LUPUS' LARGE LUCKY LIPS, WHY?!?" I yelled the last part to the heavens and dropped heavily to my rump.

    Moonlight just stared at me with a confused expression before bursting out laughing her tail off. "That's... that's what has you so distraught?! Food?"

    That's as far as she got before breaking down into convulsions of laughter.

    A voice suddenly sounded above us. "Hey guys!"

    Looking up to confirm the voice, I saw Rainbow Dash hovering overhead looking somewhat confused. "Who's Lupus and why do they have lucky lips?"

    "I'm assuming," Twilight’s voice came up the hill, followed by Twilight and Fluttershy, both following a small bird, "that he is a being of some importance, and that was an expletive similar to you saying 'sweet Celestia.” I have no idea where this being originates from though."

    "Hey Hurricane," Moonlight started, "it sounds like we're back with Firefang!" The sarcasm was stunning.

    Before anyone could respond, I jumped into the conversation. "Can I ask why you three are up here?"

    "Flutters here said that, for two days in a row, her animal friends have been seeing strange lights, and this one here," Rainbow said, motioning to the bird that had alighted on Fluttershy when Twilight and Fluttershy had made it to us, "apparently lives in the clearing it happened in. Would you guys happen to know anything about that?"

    I shared a quick look with Moonlight, something that didn't go unnoticed by the other three.

    "What would you know about funny lights in the Everfree," Dash asked suspiciously.

    "Um... Mister Finch is saying that ...um... its Mister Hurricane that made the lights, but… but that Mister Hurricane isn't a... pony...." Fluttershy seemed to trail off at the end after realizing something.

    I looked around to see Rainbow ready to attack, and Twilight's horn glowing. 'This is bad,' I thought, 'I can't quick cast well enough to get out of this.'

    At that point Twilight cast something that hit me in a much more focussed manner than the other spell she had used. My metamorphosis spell only just held, and I could tell that she was only using about half, maybe two thirds, of the power she could channel. That was staggering, considering my master had once told me that I had the most raw power of any Shaman in the last three centuries, and here was this little pony, nearly destroying my spell, while holding back! Now I was scared.

    And at exactly that moment, though my pony change held, an illusion I'd been holding in place since a little after my outcasting dropped. Everyone, Moonlight included, stared at the brand over my left eye. It was a triangle with an inscribed circle, and within the circle was a lightning bolt. The mark of the Killer, given to me the one and only time I've ever lost control.

    "What... is that?" Asked a dumbfounded Rainbow. Twilight looked halfway between confused at the symbol and horrified at the branding, while Fluttershy just looked horrified, and Moonlight looked saddened, as she was the only one that knew what the mark meant, though not the reason I received it.

    "That," I snarled, glaring, "is the an Alpha Mark, given to outcasts, this Mark can only be given by a Council Alpha and means I will never be accepted back home. Goodbye."

    With that I turned and started off, realizing too late that I probably said too much. 'Every time,' I thought, 'Every time I think I might be able to manage a few friends, I lose it. I've kept this Mark hidden for five Luna damned years!'

    I sped to a canter, then a gallop, then a full out sprint. Just wanting to get away. Just needing to run, my cheerful shield starting to fall again. I ran and ran starting to go up to a road. towards a distant mountain, just going, starting to subconsciously dip into my power, something I'm normally so careful never to do, as I can't cast on the fly. I started going faster and faster, running, the chaos flowing. I saw a train in the distance rapidly approaching, and as I travelled faster, I became closer to the chaos, and began to here through any active spells I had, which, if not done under meditation, can lose the wielder to the magic. I wasn't under meditation, but I didn't care. Suddenly, I lost myself to the spell. Falling unconscious and falling... falling... falling....

Moonlight stared at Hurricane's retreating form retreating form, already a dot in the distance, saddened at his loss of control. Why now, of all the times to lose control, why now. Lupus almighty, please bring him back. I don't want to lose him again. She looked to the mares, whose looks demanded an explanation of Moonlight. "Can we at least talk somewhere private?" she asked, resigned to the fact there was no getting around the fact that Hurricane's behavior needed explanation.

    "We'll talk in the library," Twilight said, looking pissed. For all Moonlight knew chaos could easily be forbidden magic in this land. The mares and Moonlight, still in pony form, all walked to the library in silence. Once inside Twilight cast some kind of spell, explaining that now no one could hear their conversation.

    "Now what was that, and why did Storm run," asked a miffed Rainbow Dash.

    "He ran because someone destroyed a mental ward." Moonlight started before turning to Twilight and snarling out, "hasn't anyone ever taught you you never mess with another's spells? I'm about the farthest thing from a Lupus damned Shaman and I know that. You’re lucky it didn't backlash and kill you! Instead, anything he does will be on you. I wash my hands of this and I'm going to find him. Don't try and stop me."

    When Moonlight turned to leave Rainbow dropped in front of her. She snarled again, and started the trigger she knew Hurricane put in any consented spell he cast on a non-user.

"May I of the spell be released

The disguise of form be ceased

and I be Moonlight Runner again"

There was a flash of bright white light, and Hurricane lost the connection.

    Snapping back into my body was a painful experience. I rolled over and realized that it had been a while since I lost the connection. The sun was setting and I heard the sound of an argument taking place.

    It seemed to stop when I groaned, my body protesting at the massive amount of magic I put it through, along with the physical exertion. Instantly Moonlight was over me, out of disguise. "Why did you drop it?" I asked her, referring to the fact it was a coyote standing over me, not a pony.

    "Wait! You knew about that!?" Rainbow's voice came from the direction of the previous argument.

    "Yes," I started, seeing no point in hiding the fact of what we were anymore, "it's my spell-work. The rhyme she used was a trigger to drop the disguise without a Shaman's help. I'm a Shaman, and Luna's large lungs, my head hurts!"

    "Found her!" Another voice cut into our conversation, that of Twilight Sparkle, who ran over to Rainbow, followed by AJ, Fluttershy, Rarity,Pinkie and Spike.

    Moonlight dropped back, growling at the sight of Spike. Twilight was the only one that came forward. Looking between me and Moonlight. "Are you alright?" she asked standing over me.

    "I'm not to bad. My head hurts like Lupus used it as a fight ring, but I should be fine."

    "Oh dear, I have some herbs that'll help with a headache," Fluttershy exclaimed, or what passed for an exclamation for her, suddenly losing all fear and approaching quickly.

    I got up slowly, feeling extremely stiff. "I feel like I was hit by a train. Again." The last word was directed a Rainbow.

    "Well, you ran just about the entire way to Canterlot. I'm not surprised. The train tracks are just to our north out of sight though, So you can't have been hit. Canterlot itself is only another hours walk north though, so we should go there and just stay in the castle tonight." Twilight suggested this while the sun was just dipping out of sight.

    "I'm not even going to ask. Just as long as its warm and soft, I'll sleep on anything. And before I forget, do you six want me to remove my disguise, or give Moonlight a new one. I may be physically exhausted, but that spell, when bound to a host, rather than the circle itself, uses next to no energy from me."

    "New disguise"

    "No disguise"

    Both were said at the same time, The former by Twilight and Fluttershy, the latter by Applejack and Rainbow.

    They all explained their reasoning: Fluttershy was scared of the carnivorous coyote forms, no surprise to anyone, Applejack hated the dishonesty of the disguises, Rainbow thought Moonlights form was "bad flank" and figured I would be just as awesome, and Twilight reasoned that it would be a bad idea to scare the locals with our undisguised coyote forms. The other two conceded, AJ with a grumble and Rainbow looking slightly disappointed.

    After drawing a new spell circle, being beyond attentive and careful, despite my train wreck feeling, I had Moonlight step in and began,

"To waters change I commend her physical being

Another native, may others be seeing

And with this morph their abilities too

while she remains her, magic and true"

    With a flash of light that made all of us wince and me to pray to Lupus, Luna, and any other divine being that it wouldn't attract the Defenders, or whatever this lands equivalent was.

    What stepped out of the circle made me have to hold back any laughter, as Moonlight would kill me if I laughed. She still had her coat colour, that lovely shimmering grey, but her main was a bright hot pink, along with her tail, no wings or horn, while her butt mark—I should probably ask what those are called—was a full moon, just begging me to call her Mooner, and her eyes were still a stormy grey, and her glare was daring me to say anything about her appearance. I couldn't help it, the laughter flooded over, and I was laughing through the stiffness and physical pain I was still feeling.

    She continued to glare at me, while everyone else started to chuckle at my reaction, even the timid Fluttershy let out a little giggle.  Eventually Moonlight relented and laughed with the rest of us.

    After an indeterminate amount of time, we, or more specifically, I composed myself enough that we could move on, and we started following Twilight in the direction of Canterlot.