Author's Note

Edited by Mary Bloss who took time out of her schedule to edit the chapter

Light Chapter One: A Deed Worth it's Weight in Gold

Light Chapter One: A Deed Worth it's Weight in Gold

As Shadow Eyes took a moment to reorient herself after being thrown through the walls separating the worlds, the crazed pony escaped into the crowds that were gathering on the side of the street.

“Damn it all! Where'd that…” Shadow Eyes trailed off as she noticed that all the beings in her magical sight were almost like hairless minotaurs, except they had no hooves for feet some seemed to be wearing things on their feet. Others were barefoot in their homes with the windows open cheering for another one of those creatures that was sitting in a carriage not being drawn by ponies or another of these creatures. Then well within the two miles of her sight she saw one of the creatures with a weapon reminiscent of a gryphon musket rifle, but seemingly more advanced, and she noticed that the rifle was being aimed at the creature in the moving carriage. Unable to gather up the magic to block or otherwise stop the projectile from leaving the rifle, Shadow Eyes teleported between the creature and the projectile as it left the rifle. Not knowing if she was saving a warrior being praised for his kills on the battlefield, a leader for his peaceful methods, or even just someone important to the town…

A pinching feeling. That is what Shadow Eyes remembered as the projectile pierced the side of her flank, barely missing any arteries or veins, stopping the projectile before it could hurt the creature. She hardly had a chance to cast a spell that burnt the perpetrator with a brand of guilt, a target on a skull, before passing out from the pain that shot through her the moment after…

Waking to a rhythmic beeping Shadow Eyes shot up to a sitting position wincing as an IV was ripped out of her casting a minor healing spell to stem the bleeding and heal the hole in the side of her flank.

‘Okay, someone important seems an accurate description of the creature I saved’ she thought as she looked around it looked like a very secure room and with the small gap under the door, with the lack of carpet, she saw the guards standing outside her door with similar weapons to the rifle on their hips and dressed in suits if she had to guess. “H-hello?” she called out…

There was scramble outside as the guards drew their weapons and entered the room and swept the room looking for the source of the voice thinking that there was no way for a pony, even one that apparently was a unicorn, to be talking. As far as they knew their President was crazy in believing that this creature knew what it was doing when it saved the President.

“Hello? I’m Shadow Eyes, Court Magician under Princess Celestia, and I would know if I am a prisoner” said the mare as she stared down the barrel of the gun now pointed at her shaking in fear. “I do hope you don't intend to shoot me, getting shot once is enough for me” deadpanned the mare as one of the guards reached in his pocket and started to pull out a walkie.

“Keep to runner, the package is awake, and the eagle was correct. Repeat, the package is awake, and the eagle was correct”

“I am assuming I am the package, and the eagle is someone of importance that can't be named in casual messages over wireless” said Shadow Eyes as she noticed her sunglasses on the table beside her bed and she went wide eyed as she grabbed for the sunglasses before shoving them on her face. “I-I-I’m sorry you had to see my eyes” said the mare ashamed of the telltale sign of her blindness she would have gotten rid of it a long time ago if she could. But even the Changeling Spell could only do so much in that regard, it can't give her working eyes, it could only change the color of her eyes…

“Can't you say something? It's weird talking to myself…” said Shadow Eyes as the creature she had saved walked in with two more guards.

“I’m sorry, they were under strict orders not to say anything until I arrived” said the creature and Shadow Eyes deadpanned once more before grinning wickedly making the four guards nervous.

“This is where I say, 'take me to your leader’ I do believe” she said before cracking up laughing at their incredulous looks before choking up a bit as tears started to run down her cheeks, “Why couldn't you just let me die? I am doomed to live past my race’s years, now away from the ones I love!” The creature she saved was the first to get over his shock of her rapid change in emotions as he walked over and hugged her causing her crying to increase as she suddenly grabbed the creature, her tears soaked his jacket, after a good long while Shadow Eyes calmed down. Pulling away the mare took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes dry with her fetlocks. “I’m sorry, I lost so much today, my foals and my lover… I don't even know if I will see them in the afterlife when I die” said Shadow Eyes as her voice cracked a couple times from the stress.

“Mr. President, you need to step away from it we don’t know if it could be dangerous” at that Shadow Eyes gave a hollow laugh as she picked up an IV pole with her magic causing the guards with the creature to draw their weapons and point them at her, though a couple of them were shaking as they pointed the weapons at her.

“If I wanted your… What did you call it? President? If I wanted it dead, I could have just let that projectile kill it”

“I am John Fitzgerald Kennedy, President of these United States of America, one of many nations, though collectively considered one of the best and most powerful of the nations of the world” said the creature proudly.

“Well John, I am Shadow Eyes, Court Magician under Princess Celestia of the principality of Equestria… And Tenebrosus Magus…” said Shadow Eyes, mumbling the last part.

“Pardon? I know what Magus is, but unless you mean tenebrous, I don't know what you mean by Tenebrosus Magus.” Shadow Eyes looked at the President with a look of surprise. Surely they had Dark Mages here, but then again, she felt very little magic in the air, and although she could still see as well as she normally did, she couldn't…

“Do you not have Mages here? I mean all of your devices, don't they run on magic?”

An hour later Shadow Eyes’ face was facing her bed as fresh tears rolled down her face, what she said earlier never seemed more true, there was not enough magic to even attempt to return home and there was no guarantee that any attempt would be fruitful, in fact as far as she knew she may end up on a world completely devoid of magic and then she would be completely helpless…

“What is to become of me? A pet for your entertainment? A weapon to throw at your enemies? If I am to endure until I die, I must know what I am to do until then” said Shadow Eyes in a hollow voice and John was surprised.

“Is that what your people would do if one of us showed up on your world?” he asked and Shadow Eyes plastered her ears back flat, her upper lip lifted in a snarl as she struck the sheet covering her in her annoyance.

“The gryphons might, the minotaurs would test you for loyalty, but ponies? We would embrace you as a friend and unless you proved us in error for that assessment, you would be welcome as a friend for life” said Shadow Eyes annoyed at the President.

“Then why would we? You just proved that you can be trusted, you saved the leader of this great nation-”

“Sure, but all I really did was save you from death, I've killed before, I don't like it, but war makes it a necessity”

After explaining the Changeling War to the President, John looked to his watch, surprised at the length of time spent already with the self proclaimed 'pony.’ He stood from the chair he had brought in for him and walked over to the mare, put his hand out in an effort to shake not thinking for a moment as his mind just saw another sentient being, not a horse. Shadow Eyes faced the hand for a moment before she put her hoof out and they shook.

“Don't worry about the medical bill, or anything ever again, I will personally see to it your every need is met, the least I can do for saving my life” said John and Shadow Eyes turned to face him revealing that the bandage has fallen off, and her bullet wound was healed. “I see ponies heal fast, most humans, that's what we are, would take about eight weeks, it has only been two weeks, and with you, we weren't even sure you would pull through your structure is so different from what we are used to.” Shadow Eyes went wide-eyed for a moment before she reasoned that because they had no magic themselves therefore they wouldn't have healing magic…

“I healed what was left, your doctors did well with what they had. Magic, well, it has its uses” said the mare as she slipped from the bed and onto the floor up to her withers she was three feet tall. As she did so the guards… No the Secret Service as she was informed had slowly calmed down but every time she moved anywhere towards the President they tensed up ready to draw their weapons and shoot her at the first sign of aggression. “You know, if I wanted him dead at this point you wouldn't have a chance to stop me, or even retaliate. I am a killer, any soldier is, but I am much more efficient than most.”

“I’m curious, are all your fellow soldiers called Court Magicians as well?” asked John causing Shadow Eyes snorted in an almost laugh.

“A Court Magician is second only to princesses in theory, in reality, it was more of a figurehead position as I only had the power given to me by Celestia. I was warrior, diplomat, spy, assassin, ambassador, healer, whatever the princess needed me to be. I am the scion of the Noble house of Star.” said Shadow Eyes as she gave a short bow and the President shook his head as he lift her up from the bow.

“The American people may be worthy of such respect, but I am only their President, we have no king, no queen and no nobles. The people decide who will lead them every four years…” and so John Fitzgerald Kennedy explained to the best of his ability the public knowledge on the workings of the government.

“Tell me, is there something you said you won't do that your, what did you call it? Vice President?” John nodded, “That your Vice President said he would do and had the support of others in a position of power?” at her question John F. Kennedy swallowed. “I see… This may have been a contracted hit, and it failed. They would be fools to try again so soon while your protectors are on high alert. If you have traitors in your midst they would be even more foolish to try again and reveal themselves.” said Shadow Eyes as she shifted to a more comfortable stance, seemingly becoming relaxed, though she was still ready to spring if any of them made a move. Suddenly blinking and tensing up as she remembered something of urgency. “Tartarus! That son of a hippogriff! Mr. Kennedy, there is another pony here, another unicorn, I need to find them! They are dangerous! I don't know how trained they are in the dark arts, but if they are even half as well trained as I am, they could cause untold amounts of damage to your world. They are the reason I am even in this world.”

“Then, we will look for them. If they are as dangerous as you say we need to find them as soon as possible” said John as he shook his head. “Although I owe that pony my life as well, if they are so dangerous that they give you pause, perhaps it is better if we capture them.”