Broken Wings

OK let’s recap, I met a girl, fell in love, was killed by a dragon possessed by the spirit of evil itself, Came back to life, spent some time in a coma, met princess Luna and had the pony who wanted to adopt me burst into my murder trial as it began…
It’s been a full year so far.

I stared in shock as the grey pony walked down towards me. The guards gripping my chains pulled them tight, seeming to think I would run. They were almost right. A brown filly ran into the room and sprinted towards me, shouting out in glee.

“Lucky!”

It took a moment register who it was, she had gotten so big! “Summer!”

I ran to her, sweeping her up in a hug before flying into the air and spinning the young filly about with a happy grin. Summer squealed with laughter. I flipped her onto my back and let her wrap her small hooves round my neck. It then dawned on me I had three guards restraining me, with a glance back I winced. All three guards lay face down on the floor, looking up at me with undisguised shock. I must have dragged them with me in my haste to reach summer…oh horse apples…

With a sheepish grin I trotted back to the guards, apologising as I went. Summer refused to leave my back. She seemed to think if she let me go I would disappear again.

Charcoal laughed, then fixed the princesses with a stern look. Other ponies began to file into the room, many faces I remembered or knew. The townsfolk, Redwing, an old pony mare whose cart I pulled for a few days, all people I helped in one form or another.
Celestia seemed shocked while Luna just grinned, I had a feeling she had something to do with everypony finding out I was here.

Charcoal had decided he had to speak his mind as he glared at the two alicorn’s.

“What gives you the right to lock up a fine young colt like Starshot? What gives you the right to judge him? Were you there? Did you see what happened? I don't care if your princesses, Your not locking that boy away!”

Luna’s smile had reached almost epic proportions while Celestia looked to be in a state of shock.

“They are our monarchs you stupid stallion and you will show them respect they deserve.”

I knew that voice all too well, all the smiles and cheer on my face faded as the white stallion walked in,Arrogance radiated from him. Heartscure, one of the doctors who had accused me back at the hospital. He glared at me, eyes filled with hatred, before flipping his white mane with one hoof.

“You monster, will pay for the death of that stupid child.”

I snapped. I didn't care what he thought of me but he would not talk about Sunspot that way. I forgot summer was hugging my back. My voice became low and dangerous.

“Her name was Sunspot you pathetic excuse for a stallion and if you EVER speak of her like that again only one of us will walk out of this room!”

The colour drained from Heartscure’s face, I have to admit when I'm angry, I'm pretty scary…sort of. It’s hard to be intimidating when an adorable filly is hugging your neck with a happy grin.

Now, I’ll admit that I hate scaring anypony but that jerk ruined my life, tried to make my first loves sacrifice a crime and forced me to be hunted for years... I have no regrets scaring him at all. Then again neither did the red Pegasus who landed in front of Heartscure and slammed a hoof across his face.

“Sunspot was my friend! You EVER say anything like that about her again and if Lucky doesn’t hurt you I will!”

That’s one of the few times I ever saw Redwing angry. This was quickly getting out of hand, I had to do something before my friends and family got themselves into trouble.

“Everypony wait! Calm down and listen, I want to be here, I'm just so tired of running. I have faith that the princesses will seek the truth. Please, let them do this.”

You know, I doubt I could have received more shocked looks if I had announced that I wanted to shave off my mane and dye my coat pink. Even Celestia seemed surprised. Summer climbed down from my back and went back to charcoal’s side; I bowed my head and faced the thrones.

“Princesses, may I approach?” Celestia glanced at Luna's smugly grinning face and nodded.

I trotted towards the alicorn sisters, feeling apprehensive but hopeful. I knew what had been said about me, I knew what would happen to me if I was found guilty. Still, I had to do this, For her.

“Celestia, Luna. I… I know what I'm accused of is unforgivable, so I… I'm giving up all my rights. Do whatever you feel you must to me, I owe it to Sunspot to see her sacrifice honoured…”

Celestia still never uttered a word, the look on her face was cold…Luna looked pleased and gave her sister a smirk. Something was going on there; I have no idea what though.

A sneer from behind me stoked my anger once more, “You gave up all rights when you murdered that filly, freak.”

Heartscure smirked at me with an air of self-importance, Wings fluttered as Redwing launched himself at the arrogant stallion.

“Wait Redwing, Stop!”

The crimson Pegasus stopped his charge and stared at me, I could see his confusion. I shook my head, with a small nod he flew back to the group.

“Everypony, I need your word you won’t do anything until this is over, I'm not going to run. Please… I have to do this”
There was a lot of murmuring then one by one each pony gave their word. I turned to my guards, all of who was looking at me with... Well almost respect.

“Gentleponies, I want you to bind me, hoof and wing, I’ll show no resistance.”

The chains were fastened around my body, this time binding my wings; I lay on my side as my legs were bound together and locked.

Luna’s voice spoke out, “Starshot, why are you going to such lengths? Your word would have been enough.”

I sighed sadly, “Luna, it’s about what I am, I don’t understand it, and I don’t have control over all the power within me. I'm doing this because I'm terrified of what may happen if I lose control.”

Celestia’s face softened slightly, it seemed that my fear of hurting anypony struck a chord within her. That’s also why she didn’t seem to care for me as well, she loves her subjects too much and the thought of one being murdered must hurt her so much.

Heartscure spoke up again, venom dripping from his voice. “You didn’t fear it when you took that filly's life.”

“SILENCE!” The room seemed to shake from the force of Celestia’s shout, “This pony is merely accused and you treat him as if he is guilty already, I am tired of this! You are here as his accuser, present any evidence you have that he committed this act or be silent.”

I was terrified, everything I knew of the solar princess told me she was always calm and reasonable, this crime has pushed her beyond the limits of herself control.

“My proof is this creature’s horn.” Heartscure sneered, “A Pegasus cannot have a horn, it’s all the proof I need.”

A thought occurred to me, in my studies I read of a spell that allows an alicorn to see into the mind of a pony, the downside was it could kill them with the side effects. I had to ask, it was the only way I could think of to end this once and for all.

“Princess, I have read of a spell, I don’t know its name… it allows alicorn’s to see into the memories of a pony?”

Luna looked at me horrified. “The spell causes immense pain! We banned its use because of this!”

I smiled weakly, utterly terrified. “I gave up my rights Luna, use it… It’s only my word against his; there can be no end to this without proof”

Luna looked to her sister, who nodded sadly. I closed my eyes as her soft hoof steps approached me. I heard a faint ringing, a sound I always associated with unicorn magic’s. Luna’s horn touched my forehead.

I screamed.

I have never felt pain like that, even when I died. My entire body twitched and jerked as every nerve felt as if it was on fire, I felt my legs kick in their chain bindings. Voices echoed from my past, the teachers, Dragon fire, Redwing, Sunspot… I forced one eye open, dimly seeing my memories displayed in the air above me, and my screams became soundless as Luna’s magic probed deeper. The pain forced me to black out.

<==========0ooxoo0========>

I came too with a groan and forced my eyes open. I looked on in shock at the scene before me. Heartscure was cowering before Celestia and Luna, both of the Alicorn’s faces twisted in anger. Celestia spoke, her voice low and cold.

“Without any real proof you accused that young pony of murder, with no proof you forced him to go through SIX YEARS of pain and misery. You made one of my little ponies suffer for all that time”

Luna’s voice was filled with pain and anger as she spoke next, “You saw what he went through, he lost his first love in the most heart-breaking fashion I have ever seen, he made her a promise and has spent all those years helping and protecting every pony that he could. Everypony in Equestria has heard of his exploits! Night Wing, The hero of Paddock town, the Defender of the Everfree forest, and the list goes on! Why? Why in Equestria did you not even try to find out what had happened before calling the guard on a scared, traumatised young colt?”

“It doesn’t matter now Luna, I don’t believe either of us can make a fair decision on how to handle this, I believe we should we let young Starshot choose what happens next”

I stood up shakily, fighting to keep my balance. I noted with some surprise that my chains had been removed and for some unknown reason my mane had been combed out? OK... I’ll figure that out later.
I steadied myself with a deep breath and trotted towards Heartscure, each hoofstep I grew closer to him, the wider his eyes grew. By the time I stood before him, the arrogance has faded completely and he was shaking with fear. Thoughts of vengeance flowed through my mind; I thought of making him suffer, to make him feel pain….Those golden eyes looked back from the past.

“Princess, my choice is to do nothing” The entire room was in a state of shock as I continued, “Sunspot never had a bad word for anypony, no matter what they had done, and she even forgave Redwing for striking her when we were kids”

Redwing’s voice called from the back of the hall, “Thanks to the friendship of those two I am the stallion I am today, I was a bully, now I am a flight teacher for the kids at Cloudsdale academy”

“To inflict harm on any pony will desecrate her memory; I loved her too much for that”

Luna however had no such compulsions, “Guards, take him away. I'm sentencing him to six years imprisonment for his crimes, I also strip him of all titles and holdings, be thankful this young pony was merciful.”

Two white Pegasus guards escorted the disgraced doctor from the hall, as they neared the door a yellow unicorn stepped out in front of them. The impact of Page’s hoof into Heartscure’s face echoed across the hall. Amazingly the stallion was knocked the hay out! Sweet Celestia that girl had a punch like a mule! Page shook out her hoof and trotted towards me, whistling happily. Luna and Celestia looked at each other in shock for a moment before bursting out with laughter, all the remaining tension seemed to drain from the room.

I was confused I’ll admit, it seemed I was cleared but if it was confirmed, I was yet again, unconscious for it. Page looked at me with a frown, her horn shone for a moment as a comb floated from her saddlebags; she drew it through my tangled mess of a mane. So THAT’S why it was brushed out.

“Page, why did you buck him in the face like that?”

Page gave me a smile, “Nopony forces my stallion to live through all that”

“Oh so I'm yours now am I?” I grinned, I felt really good at that moment.

Luna spoke up behind me, “oh after watching your memories I doubt anyone will dispute that”

Page was staring at the floor, blushing furiously. It then dawned on me what she meant.

“You mean you saw us kissing and nuzzling? Oh no… just kill me now!”

Luna laughed as I hid my face under my hooves, blushing. “Actually it was very sweet, especially the way you covered her with your wing at night”

I groaned under my hooves, “Luna, come on! Give me a break here!”

“A Lucky Break?” Her sarcastic comeback was so well placed it could have been rehearsed. Wait a moment, I STILL had not found out if I was in the clear! I turned to Celestia, finally coming out from hiding under my hooves and asked the one question that was plaguing me.

“Celestia, what happens to me now?”

Celestia smiled warmly at me, I felt my fears drain away under that kind face.

“Oh my little pony, now we make it up to you. You’ve gone through so much, yet you fought to protect the ponies of Equestria”

“Don’t you mean my not so little pony ‘Tia?” Luna sniggered.

“Ignore my charming sister Starshot, The ponies of this realm owe you much for what you did for them and for what was done to you, I understand that your afraid of your odd magic’s so I will arrange for a trainer to teach you to control them, now is there anything else we can do to repay you for those six years?”

I stared down at the floor, a single thought in my head. My only real regret.

“Can… can you tell me where Sunspot was buried?”

<==========0ooxoo0========>

Several hours of flight had landed me back in Trottingham, The town hadn’t changed a lot since the day I ran. I walked through the town in a daze, receiving odd looks at my horn. Finally I reached my goal, a hill overlooking the orphanage. A single oak tree grew there; in the shade below its canopy laid a single grave. Standing before the headstone I felt numb, Sunspot, the girl who both saved and shaped my life. This is where they laid her down for her final rest.

I stared at the tombstone, unable to simply read it yet; carefully I laid down what I had carried in my mouth all the way from Canterlot, a single rose. What could I say now I was here? I had spent years wondering what they had done with her body; I missed her funeral as I could not come back for fear of the guard chasing me. With a deep breath I composed myself enough to read.

Here lies Sunspot.

Our own element of harmony

Taken from us too young

Equestria is lesser for her passing

Rest in peace

Tears broke free, the kind words on the stone shattering my mental dams. I just lay there, wailing in sorrow. I have no idea how long it took to pull myself back together. I no longer knew what to say, the girl who made me who I am, the filly who broke through my shell of misery and loneliness lay forever at rest here before me and I had no idea what to say or do. A single idea did occur to me, focusing with all of my will, I began to use my horn to engrave a symbol into the headstone. I felt it was only right; she had given me my cutie mark so I had to give one to her. Satisfied I stood and said the only words I knew she would want to hear.

“Sunspot, I love you, I always did and always will, I know you’re watching me now so I will make you another promise. I will be the stallion you wanted me to be, I will protect Equestria, I will stop Nightmare Blaze or I will die trying”

With a final smile I launched myself into the air and headed back to Canterlot, behind me a single symbol, engraved upon the headstone shone with silver light.

<==========0ooxoo0========>

The following day found me in the castle courtyard, Page watching from a nearby window as three ponies stood before me. Princess Luna stood in the centre, a smirk on her face. To her left stood the white Pegasus Bright Shield, captain of the royal guard. To her right stood a royal blue unicorn with a black mane and a cutie mark of a thundercloud. She had introduced herself as Lightning strike, one of the royal unicorn magi.
Luna had explained to me that in order to control my magic’s I had to first learn to control myself, my current fighting style was all instinct and based on my strength.

Luna grinned at me and motioned Lightning Strike forward, her horn glowing; Luna created a bubble around the courtyard, effectively sealing us in.

“Now Starshot, from your memories we saw you seem to have a knack for getting injured so the first lesson will be evasion and protection. Lightning here will be casting combat spells at you; your job is to evade them without the aid of your magic and to try to use that same magic to protect yourself”

I grinned; I had been dodging attacks for years. My instincts were sharp. I watched as Lightning’s horn began to glow…

And woke up, face down on the flagstones. Page was looking down at me, concern in her face. I forced myself to my hooves, giving my head a shake to clear out the confusion I looked at Lightning, her muzzle a wicked smile. I closed my eyes and sent a thought inwards.

“Hey Alganon, you still in here?”

“Of course little pony, where else would I be?”

“I have heard it told that dragons are so fearsome because they seem to predict where an attack will land, is this correct?”

“You have the basic idea, it is not any sort of magic though, we just read the wind”

“How does that work?”

“Hmm, as a Pegasus you may be able to do this too, expand your awareness around you, feel the air and its flow. All disturbances’ in the wind begin at some point, feel that and predict how it will follow that path”

I followed the instructions, letting my coat feel every motion around me in the air, letting the feathers of my winds feel the breeze. Slowly I began to perceive changes around me, I felt the wind break and flow around obstructions, and I could almost see every pony’s motions before they were made. Alganon gently guided me through every step until I could feel the wind in every motion around me.

I open my eyes and smiled, “let’s try this again lightning”

I felt incredible; the feeling of reading the wind was almost intoxicating. Lightning’s horn began to glow; I could almost see the path the spell would take. Feeling the air ionize, I sidestepped; the bolt of magical lightning erupted from her horn a split second later, striking the spot I had just stood a moment before. Lightning looked at me with surprise before frowning. Bolt after bolt of electricity was shot at me; I just sidestepped them, ducked or in one case watched it go wide… I guess she was trying to predict my movements. Finally Lightning shouted in frustration.

“Arrrgh! Luna I thought he wasn’t allowed to use magic!”

The princess of the night was watching me with a smirk, she KNEW what I was doing, I could tell.

“Lightning, he has not used any form of magic’s; he’s reading the air around us. That’s no small feat, most Pegasi never figure out how”

Luna’s smile faded. “Now comes the hard part, defence, this time you must use the magic’s within you to defend yourself. Don’t think of attacking, think of how you’re magic could protect you. Lightning will use a weaker version of her spell, it won’t knock you out but it will hurt. Remember, don’t try to force it, let your magic know what you need and let it find a way”

Nodding, I stood my ground and waited, the electrical bolt struck. I grunted in pain, feeling the skin under the spells impact begin to blister, I tried to summon the shield I had used when I saved Summer the second time. Nothing was happening! Nothing I tried seemed to work, I tried to summon walls in front of the spell; I tried levitating flagstones…why I have no idea as I can’t even levitate a coin! The pain was forcing me to my knees.
Don’t try to force it, let your magic know what you need and let it find a way… Luna’s words echoed in my head. Protection…some kind of armour…
Finally my horn responded, I heard clanks of metal around me, sliver light seemed to flow from my whole body, the pain of the electrical attack stopped instantly.

Luna was looking at me with huge eyes, her mouth gaping open… actually so was Bright Shield…OK so was everypony… I glanced down at my hooves and did a double take myself. My legs where encased in some kind of silver metal, it shone with light. I looked myself over, surprised at what I saw. My entire body was encased in an ornate suit of barding, slightly scaled. The armour on my wings had a lethal cutting edge, like a knife! I spread out my wings experimentally, the metal seemed weightless. Even my mane and tail had become bound with ringlets of the strange silver metal.

“Erm… Luna, what’s going on?” I had no idea where this barding comes from.

Luna closed her gaping mouth and considered me for a moment, after a minute or two she gave a wing shrug.

“I have no idea; it must be a manifestation of your magic”

I just stared at her dumbfounded. I had no idea why my desire for protection had created this armour. Maybe the magic formed depending on its user... hmm actually that made sense, I had no real ranged power, and I fought up close and personal. Every magic I had created had been a way to improve my close combat ability’s.

I think in that moment I really began to get an understanding on how my magic worked, the books I read were useless to me as I was trying to learn to use magic as a unicorn would and I am not a unicorn, even if I do have a horn.

Captain Bright Shield stepped forward, with a nod to Luna, he addressed me.

“OK Starshot, now we have made some progress we will move onto combat training. From your memories I have seen you have some talent but now we will turn it into skill”

I felt my armour begin to change; flakes began to fly away from me, like a silver snowstorm. In moments I was once again back to my usual unimpressive self. I took a stance as Bright Shield approached. His attack was swift, precise and completely surprising. He reared up and with a flap of his wings, flipped over, catching me under the muzzle with both back hooves.

“Lesson one kid, never expect your opponent to fight as you do”

Our sparing lasted into the night; I never landed a single hit in all that time. It drove it home to me that I knew nothing of real fighting; all I had done was flail blindly with my hooves. Utterly exhausted and sore, I hobbled back to the room Celestia had provided for me. All I wanted was to sleep, Sweet Celestia was I tired. Too bad Page had other ideas…

I opened my door to find Page standing there inside waiting for me, steam drifted from the connecting bathroom. She wrinkled her nose and pointed to the bathroom with a stern look. I was far too tired to argue, with a weary nod I staggered in and climbed into the suds filled tub. The hot water felt amazing, drawing the hurt from my muscles. I was drifting to sleep when yellow hooves began to rub soap into my mane.

“Page, please I'm too tired for this”

“Starshot, you stink, your hair is a mess and from one look I can tell you never brushed it for months at a time”

Truth be told, I hadn’t brushed it since I fled the hospital. Page mothered over me, rubbing the soap into my hair and running a metal comb through, not stopping until my mane and tail flowed smooth and straight, the tangles of years gone. After I got out the tub and dried off, Page insisted on running a brush through my coat and rubbing down my wings. I just let her do it, far too tired to argue.

After an hours grooming, with me swaying with exhaustion by that point, Page declared me finally presentable and practically pushed me in front of the bathroom mirror. Wow, I actually looked good, a little bleary eyed but good. My ragged mane was now smooth and stood out almost like the Mohawk style the palace guards wore their hair in, my black coat shone, like ebony. I was impressed.

Page shoved me to the bed and told me in no uncertain terms I was to lay down and sleep. I was happy to oblige. As soon as I closed my eyes I felt a familiar warmth press to my chest, I opened my eyes to see Page curling up against me.

“It’s OK if I sleep here right Starshot? I … I just can’t sleep well since the dragon and… You make me feel safe… “

I smiled and lay my wing across her protectively, I heard her sigh with content before beginning snoring loudly. With a grin, I kissed her behind the ear and fell asleep myself.

<==========0ooxoo0========>

The following day found me at a racetrack near Ponyville, Luna and Page sat to one side of the 100 meter sprint stretch of the track, next to an odd device. It looked like a small windmill with a gauge to one side. Luna had explained that she had borrowed it from Twilight Sparkle, whoever that was, to help with the next part of my training.

Luna stood and called over to me. “OK Starshot, all you have to do is fly as fast as you can, without magic, down this track and this device will tell us what your wing power is”

I was confused. “Wing power?”

“How strong your wings are and how fast you can fly silly!” I swear since Page has been hanging out with Luna, she has picked up Luna’s sarcasm.

Both girls smiled at me and began to pump there hooves in unison while chanting Go Go Go. With a grin I shook my head and stretched out my wings. Realising this is my chance to impress Page I went for it, my wings blurred as I took off the line like a rocket, speeding down the track as the world blurred past me. I shot past the girls, the tailwind dragging their manes after me. Luna and page both crowded the dial, Page let out a whistle.

“Wow, 16.5! That’s fast!”

Luna gave me an appraising look, “Hmm with your big body I expected a much lower number but you’re actually pretty fast, let’s hope Rainbow Dash doesn’t hear about this.”

“Rainbow who?” Why did they keep dropping names like this, expecting me to know who they are? Don’t they remember I lived in a ruin and hid from the world?

“OK now my little pony” Oh pony feathers, now Luna is doing impressions of Celestia. “I want you to try it again with your magic wings… What did you call it Page?”

“Starlight speed.”

Great, don’t I get to name my magic? She had already named my Starlight Strike…great I'm even using the name. With a sigh I headed back to the start line and focused. Something in my mind snapped, usually I felt the magic trickle, this felt like a flood! My wings exploded with silver light, seeming to grow to twice the size. My jaw hung open as I gaped at the sight of my huge silver wings.

Feeling out my new appendages a little I flapped them lazily, the magically created wings seemed to work exactly like my own. With a final flap I turned back to the girls, who decided the best way to help me understand this was to whistle and mock swoon at me… why do all the girls in my life have to try and annoy me?

Focusing and blocking out the attempts of those two mares to distract me I launched myself down the track. Everything blurred. the force of the wind in my face made it hard to keep my eyes open. I shot past the line in a streak of silver, the force of the tailwind blowing Page from her feet.

Luna peered at the machines dial, her eyes wide with surprise. I landed next to her, Page getting up and glaring at me. With a smirk, Luna turned to me.

“We definitely can’t tell dash about this! that was a 33.2.”

Both mares grinned at me, excitement in Page’s face. I gave the only response I could.

“Is that good or bad?”

I felt something stroke my wing from behind me as a cheerful voice spoke up, “ooh shiny!”

I span around, no pony was there? Something stroked my other wing, I span around again, finding nothing there. OK this was getting annoying.

“Do you paint those to get them to shine like that?”

I span around and around, unable to locate the voice, Both Luna and Page was laughing at me hysterically by now. OK, enough is enough!

“Who keeps doing that?” I looked around in vain, getting more and more confused. A face dropped in front of my eyes suddenly, upside down. With a yelp of surprise a fell back onto my behind, much to the laughter of two mares that were really starting to annoy me…
I took a look at the pony that had surprised me, she was a cyan Pegasus with a purple mane and tail, streaked with blue. Flipping right-side up she gave me a wave. “Hi there!”

“Hi?” I was confused as hay, who was this Pegasus and why was she wearing armour? She cocked her head to one side and pouted at me…OK now I was REALLY confused.

“Aww, the shiny wings have gone? I liked them too.” OK this girl was crazy…

Luna grinned at me for a while, until I glared back in annoyance.

“Starshot, meet your flight instructor, Captain Night Feather of the Equestrian Guard”

I looked back to Night Feather, Still smiling happily at me; I had to ask the first question to come into my head. “Why, can’t I already fly?”

Night Feather griped one of my wings in her mouth and pulled it straight, I was too surprised to resist. She proceeded to poke at the flight muscles with an oddly intense expression.

“Hmm, you have a lot of speed in a straight line but struggle with turns, fast changes in direction throw you off and you seem to have great lifting power.” How did she know all that? She has only seen me fly in a straight dash!

Night Feather grinned at my astonished look and explained. “all the power in your wings come from two groups of muscles, the ones near your shoulders are over developed, they are what give you lift and thrust but the ones nearer your wing tips are almost stunted, they control the angle of your wings and the speed you can turn.”

My jaw bounced off the floor, I had thought this girl was a prank being played on me but the knowledge she had? It was mind blowing! “So how do I fix that?”

As a response my new trainer flew over to Luna and whispered in her ear, with a nod, the princess of the night conjured up a set of weights. Night Feather lost no time in attaching them to my wing tips.

“Wear those for a week and try to fly everywhere, and then we will get you flying like this!”

She shot into the air, with barely a movement of her wings; Night feather spiralled down towards the ground, span into a glide not a foot from the ground and then launched herself back skywards. I watched the mind blowing aerial acrobatics with awe, the girl could really fly! Finally she landed before me and pointed down the track.

“OK, a thousand laps to start with and when we are done I'm taking you and your fillyfreind out for a drink!”

<==========0ooxoo0=========>
Iron shod stared across the bar at his target, as a smooth talker he was sure of his imminent success. With a smirk to the two ponies with him, a pair of earth ponies, one with a red mane, yellow coat and a cutie mark of a hammer, the other with a white coat and orange mane with a cutie mark of crossed screwdrivers. Iron Shod checked himself over, making sure his grey coat and black mane were in order. With a quick glance at his cutie mark, a winged diamond he headed to his soon to be conquest, a small yellow unicorn with green hair and spectacles.

“Hey there my fine young filly, care for a little company?” He flashed his winning smile, Smugly sure this approach that had worked so many times was a sure fire winner.

The small unicorn mare adjusted her glasses and lifted a trio of drinks with her magic. “Sorry, not interested.”

Iron Shod was incensed, nopony turns him down him, nopony! With a glance over his shoulder, his two henchponies walked over, crowding the unicorn mare against the bar.

“You will be coming with me.” Iron Shod growled, determined this mare would be his one way or another. Gripping her hair with his teeth he tried to drag her back to his table. A cyan hoof slapped him across the face, with a snarl he shouted at the Pegasus hovering in front of his prize.

“This is where you run away little girl before my boys take issue”

The cyan Pegasus grinned at Iron Shot and replied in a cheerful voice, “Actually this is the part where Page’s coltfreind stomps your flanks into the mud”

“Err... Boss?”

Iron shod glanced at his cronies, then behind him, following their stares. And froze, A massive black alicorn stood behind them, red mane flared out, crimson eyes glaring with anger. The nightmarish figure leaned down and whispered into Iron Shod’s ear.

“This is the part where you start screaming”

<==========0ooxoo0========>

“You did WHAT?” Luna was not happy with us…

“Well in our defence they were aggressive and they DID have warrants out for their arrests.” Night Feather that was genius!

“Did you three know this before starting a bar fight?” Aww Luna why did you have to shoot down that excuse?

“Starshot, what’s your excuse for this?”

I looked up at Luna, seated upon her throne in the night court.

“They hurt Page.”

“That’s no excuse! You put one of them through a wall! Surely there…was…” Her voice trailed off as she took in my expression, I think she remembered how protective I am of those I care about. Page was curled against me, my wing draped across her back protectively.

“Luna, I held back, I never used magic. If I did I could have killed all three with little effort. Scum like that are not ponies in my eyes. They were lucky all they got was a few bruises.”

Page spoke up, “Luna, I’ve seen Starshot kick a tree out of the ground, roots and all! If he wanted to hurt them they would not be sitting in a cell with a few bruises.”

Luna read more of the report levitating before her, and then glanced at Page.

“I never expected you to buck a pony in his…his…” Luna burst out laughing.

Page looked offended “He could still walk couldn’t he? If I got Starshot to do it, he would have a broken pelvis right now!”

I smiled at the memory, the aggressive grey stallion turned to me, I whispered in his ear and Page spinning round and planting two hooves where it hurts. EVERY stallion in the room winced at the same time. I mean it sounded like she had bucked a wall!

Luna lost all semblance of anger as the laughter took over. I returned to my room to find Page there, sitting at a table covered in coins and weights. With a defeated sigh I sat at the table and waited, let me explain, ever since the first night after the trial she had been coming here and trying to teach me levitation, it had become an obsession to her… actually I found the look of concentration she gave while talking me through the exercises very cute.

To be honest I doubted I would ever learn how to do it, levitation was a unicorn magic and I am just a Pegasus. Well sort of. I have the spirit of a dragon mage lurking in my mind and I have access to the magic of the stars. Oh and there’s the guardian spell that is now a part of me. I still like to think I'm a normal Pegasus though. Anyway.

Page talked me through her latest exercise, “Now Starshot, focus on the coin and let your magic envelop it, let it feel it out”

I focused, following her instructions to the letter and achieving…well nothing but a headache. A thought occurred to me, my magic wasn’t pony magic but based from draconic magic. I focused inwards and spoke to Alganon.

“Hey dragon guy, can you guys levitate stuff like a unicorn?”

“You will address me by my name!! Well yes we use levitation magic’s but not as you ponies do”

“So how do you guys go about it?”

“Let me explain something first, most draconic magic’s are elemental in nature, fire, wind, water. Levitation and similar type are based from soul magic; each object is temporarily infused with a small amount of your soul. The object becomes a part of you and as such you have dominion over it”

“So I take it the whole focus thing unicorns do will not work for me?”

“You would have more success wishing it to move”

I gave a snort of laughter, “So how do I go about this? Cut myself and bleed on something?”

“Don’t be a foal; blood magic is a dark and evil practice. Look at the item you seek to move, let it become a part of your memories; let your mind know it in its entirety. Once you know it as you know yourself you will simply move it as if it was a limb”

I opened my eyes and looked at Page’s annoyed face. “Sorry Page, I was getting some pointers”

I think that’s the moment I realised I had not told anyone I was chatting with a centuries dead dragon inside my head. No I'm not crazy, don’t suggest it.
I looked down at the coin before me, Luna’s crescent moon cutie mark engraved on one side; I let my eyes drink in the detail, the swirl of cloud, the small stars. I lifted the coin to my face and turned it over, looking at the sun cutie mark engraved on the reverse. Page let out a squeal of excitement.

“You did it!! You levitated the coin!”

I was confused; I had lifted it with my hoof. I had just wanted to see Celestia’s mark on the reverse not levitate it in any way… still my hooves where on the table… the coin WAS floating before me with a faint silver light. Right I levitated it. I did magic in a non-lethal way. Yahoo!

I spent the rest of the night practising under Pages watchful eyes, before curling up on the bed, Page snuggled under my wing against my chest.

I spent six months training almost daily, under Luna’s tutelage I had mastered the basics of my magic, With Night Feather’s training I was now a very swift and agile flyer. I could even hold my own one on one with Bright Shield. It was after one of our sparring sessions that I was summoned to the throne room. Celestia and Bright Shield were in a conversation when I entered, I caught the tail end.

“So Captain” Celestia inquired, “You believe he can be something special?”

“Princess, his potential is staggering, he has no fear of working to improve himself. He has become a fighter I struggle to hold my own against in six short months”

Wow, I never knew he had so much respect for me!

“Princess, if I continue training him it will only stunt his potential, He needs something more. I am officially recommending Starshot for training with the Sky Archons”

The sky what? I had no idea what they were, I wasn’t even enlisted in the guard so how could I be recommended for anything?

Celestia looked amused, “It’s odd you bring this up Captain, I had a request today to have him attend a training session with the Archons. From Winter Sky no less”

“Winter Sky has his eyes on the youngster? I don’t know if I should be happy for him or sad”

I had to but in then, they were discussing my life and dropping names I didn’t know again!

“Sorry to interrupt but what the hay is going on? What are the sky Archons? Why am I supposed to join them and who in Equestria is Winter Sky?”

A deep voice came from behind me, “That would be me”

I turned around to face the voice… then looked up. This may seem trivial but I'm used to being bigger than most ponies. The Pegasus before me towered over me. His long mane and tail was steel blue, eyes that bored into my soul shone blue, and his grey coat was partially covered by a set of white armour.

Winter Sky leaned down to me; I was shaking with fear as he spoke. “Welcome to the Sky Archons recruit”