The Black Flames

Magic, Volatile Stuff

The party quickly ended after the accident. The CMC had wired a huge pinata for their huge friend. Clever, but highly dangerous. They had hanged the fifty pound monster off a hook they installed in the ceiling. The small thing had broken from the weight, I was amazed it lasted as long as it did. Luckily, damage was minimal. And the candy was of the finest quality.

But that wasn't important. What is important was that I had used magic, an impossible feat on my world. What could have brought on this new power? After everyone had left

"Didn't you say humans had no magic?" I turn towards Celestia. Her face showed just how suspicious she was right now. I had to do this right or I could lose her trust. Not something I can afford.

"They can't! At least not on earth..."

"If you are suggesting that your power was ignited by being in Equestria, I can assure you that it is impossible. Magic is a energy within the user, not the land he walks."

Well that idea was shot down.

"Perhaps your power was always there?" Celestia offers.

"Then why couldn't I use it before?"

"Have you ever needed it before now?"

That was easy, "Yes, there are several situaitions were magic would have been welcome." I was one scab collecter as a kid.

"We can figure it out in the morning" Twilight interrupts, "Princess, we can agree it is very late, and that David needs his rest after today's events. David can sleep at my house. The library has plenty of room."

The look on Celestia's face was confusing. She wore a distracted expression, like she was thinking about something Twilight had said. However, and this was really wierd, her eyes had momentarily flashed with anger. Not rage, but almost envious. What was that about?

"Well, looks like it's set. Let's go Twilight, and you should head back to your palace, Princess." I say.

"Agreed. However, I will return tomorrow to assist in finding out David's source of power."

"Okay, Princess. Come on David."

I gave Celestia a smile and was on my way.

"This is where you'll be sleeping."

Twilight gestured to a blanket and pillow set on top of several sleeping bags.

"Do you have another blanket this size?"

"Yes, why?"

"Take away the sleeping bags and replace them with the blanket and I'll be fine."

"If you say so."

In college one learned a couple things. Sleeping on floors was one of them. I have never needed any more padding then a blanket to sleep on. I once slept on top of a roof with nothing but a sheet between me and the tiles. You also learn to never trust sleeping bags. Luckily, I didn't experience why. I just knew my friends to well. I remember when they filled a freshman's sleeping bag with corned beef.

I layed down on the blanket as Twilight came back with another. She laid it on top of me. It barely reached past my toes. Comfy, I settled in and gave a quick, "Good Night" to Twilight and Spike.

"Good Night, David" Twilight kindly said.

"Yeah, Good Night." Spike mumbled.

I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

I was in a black void. I couldn't tell if it was dark kinda black or actual black. I could see myself so I guess it was the latter. I looked around and saw nothing, then a bright flash of white. I was temporarily blinded by the sudden brightness. When I could see again the whole void was white instead of black. I looked around again and noticed something on my hands.

They were shrouded in some kind of black flame. More importantly, it was spreading. It moved up my arms and all over my body. I was covered. I couldn't see myself past the inky, animated substance. But there was no pain. It wasn't hurting me. However I began to feel a void within me open, and the flames leapt from me reaching into the void. It seemed to swallow everything. I felt a power enter me. It seemed to burn inside of me till I swore my veins were filled with fire.

Then I woke up.

Then a hoof connected with my face.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Oh! He's awake."

I rubbed my face where the hoof had landed to ease the stinging. I opened my eyes to see BOTH princesses amd Twilight looking at me. Twilight and Luna had expressions of serious concern. Celestia's was wearing a nervous smile. It was obvious who had slapped me.

"What happened?" I ask, what would cause them to wake me up like this?

"How do you feel?" Luna asks.

"What's wrong?"

"David this is important. How do you feel?" Celestia says.

"I feel fine! Can you tell me what is going on?!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Why!?"

"Show him." Luna tells Twilight.

She nods and levitates a mirror in front of me.

My eyes were black with yellow irises replacing the chocolate brown I had always known.

"Wh-what happ-p-ened?" I say, in shock.

"Celestia thinks she may know how you can use magic." said Twilight.

"Indeed, I believe your power isn't natural, but instead a phenonema caused by your method of arrival. The power behind the spell that brought you here was immense, and it brought you a long way from your world. The power and shock of your arrival may have caused a rip in our dimension. It is through this rip that your magical energies are coming from. I fear, however, that this may cause several cataclysmic events if not closed."

"How do we close it." Twilight asks.

"My sister and I don't know for certain." Luna replied.

"Guys! Look!" Spike yelled pointing at me.

They all looked at me, and I watched their faces turn to suprise, then Celestia's to relief. I picked the mirror up from where it lay beside me and looked at my reflection. My eyes were fading into there original color. The yellow darkining to brown and black paling into white. My eyes were back.

"Well... What does this tell us?" I say

"That things could be fine." Celestia said.

"What?" Luna, Twilight and I say in unison.

"If the side effects of his magic are gone, then maybe the feed has been cut. This in turn could mean the rift is closed!" Celestia said, "Allow me to check."

Celestia's horn glowed and sparked, her eyes closed in concentration.

"I don't sense a magical anomaly, I believe the rift has closed on its own." She said, opening her eyes, "Our worries were in vain. Things seem to have sorted themselves out!"

"So... Can I still use magic? Or, since the source is gone, am I powerless again?"  Celestia's eyes opened in shock.

"I don't know."

"Well only one way to find out!" Twilight said, "David, try and lift that bust."

I focused on the wooden pony head and tried to lift it with my brain power. Nothing happened.

"Sorry David, it seems-"

"Let me try again." I cut her off.

I search my mind for some barrier. If it worked i n Eragon it was worth a shot. To my suprise I found something. Not a barrier or wall in my conscience, but a presence. It was faint, but there. I tried to reach out to it.

I felt my body fill with an arcane power, and attempted to lift the bust. It floated lazily into the air.

"Looks like you spoke too soon, Twilight." I say cockily.

"Humph"

"Since everything seems to have sorted itself out I think we should be going, don't you sister." Luna cheerfully said.

She didn't answer straight away, her eyes locked on me.

"Uhhh, Celestia. Earth to pretty sun goddess?"

This phrase earned me a some looks from Twilight and Luna. I rolled my eyes and waved my hand in Celestia's face. This broke her out of her trance.

"Are you okay? You spaced out there for a second." I say, concerned. Princesses don't do that last time I checked.

"Oh! I-I'm fine! Yes! I was just... um.... thinking who would teach you magic! Yep!" Even I could tell that something was up. What was she trying to hide? Sadly, Twilight didn't seem to catch the edginess in her mentor's voice.

"Oh! Oh! I can teach him Celestia!" She said, "I did study at your school after all! I'll teach him all that I know!"

"Thats right! Hey, don't you have a college? I could go there after Twilight teaches me! I would love to study up in Canterlot." I say.

"REALLY!!!!!!!" Celestia bursted, "I mean, That sounds perfect! Now I'm so sorry, but I must be going! Right, Luna?"

"Uh-"

"Good! Let's go!"

Then they both vanished in a flash of golden light.

"Wonder what that was about."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

One Week Later

Twilight was the worst teacher of ALL time.

She had given me a schedule to follow all the time. It was grueling to follow every aspect of the schedule, being late was punished with a wack from Twi's ruler. Worst was that I now had to get up at the break of dawn to begin studying as soon as possible. The only advantage about this was how quickly I learned how to use magic. In the one week since the beginning of my teachings I have learned just about everything I needed about magic. I learnrd that the use of magic was based on both on your arcane power supply, and your mental capacity. Some spells require little thought, instead they feed of your inborn arcane energy to function. These are spells like one I learned that increased my physical strength, it lasted as long as I had energy to spare. Some spells require intense thought and concentration to work. An example would be the basic teleportation spell, to use it I must have a clearly visualize where I am going and what I am bringing with me along the ride. If my focus alters, Twilight said the repercussion's could be catastrophic. Luckily, she also said that such consequences are rare. One time I teleported and left behind all my clothes, it was embarrassing to say the least.

I looked at my magically constructed watch. It was noon. That meant my time reading about Star-Swirl The Bearded's magical theories was over. Thank God! The stallion's writings were interesting at first, but after hours of reading them I was sick of it.

"Ohhhhhh Daaaaavyyy!" I heard Twilight yell from the kitchen. I hated when she called me "Davy". It was a horrible name.

"Yes Twilight?" I yell back from my seat in the library.

She walked in from the kitchen with a floating cheese sandwhich and apples behind her. She magically tossed them over to me and I caught them in my own arcane grasp without even a thought. The practices were paying off.

"Nice job. In fact I think you deserve a break! After lunch go out and have fun for the rest of the day. Enjoy Yourself!" She said kindly.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Thank You, Sweet Mother!" I yell, leaping from my seat.

"I'm not your mother...."

"Figure of speech!" I yell as I run out the door.

What first? I know! How about I head to Sugarcube Corner! Pinkie said she would teach me to bake a pie! I focus on using the teleportation spell. Sugarcube Corner? Check. Me and all my articles of clothing? Check. Now to power up the spell.

"Hi David!" bursted Pinkie from some unknown void.

"Ahhhhh!!!!!!!"

The spell fired off and I was suddenly on the ground in a room with a REALLY high ceiling.

I groaned as I stood up from the floor. That spell had took alot out of me.

"Halt!"

I  was forced back to the ground by two golden armored pegasi.

"Ow."

"David?" I hear a voice from behind me.

The guards turned me around, and in front of me was the royal throne room in Canterlot.

Un-fricken-believable.