A kobold in Canterlot

Zikkar couldn't understand, quite honestly.

Here Zikkar was, traveling with one Shining Armor, after having been told he would be taught by the student of the Princess, and they had even given him his smoked goggles back so that he wouldn't be blinded just stepping outside of the door.

And yet he couldn't place this feeling that something was wrong. The Guard was a peon, as far as Zikkar was concerned, yet that strange magical pressure he had felt from the Princess seemed to emanate from this Guard as well, though nowhere near as strongly. Did all of these creatures just showcase their prowess like this?

Other guards they passed sometimes released this same pressure, but if he was to compare it to anything...the Princess was like being smothered by a cave in, Shining armor was being at the bottom of a sleeping pile of clan-mates, and the rest were nothing more than a light shawl one might wear while sneaking around a human town.

After some silent passage of time, Zikkar nearly skittered away when his escort spoke up.

"You must have shown something interesting for the Princess to ask so few questions of you, Zikkar, but do forgive my own curiosity, as I would like to know where you hail from?"

The look Shining Armor was giving him wasn't unfriendly, but there was no trust in those eyes.

"Zikkar come from other plane. Zikkar can already feel this plane not the same as his own. Once Princess left Zikkar with escort, no longer blind to how air felt. This not my plane."

Shining Armor's head tilted in confusion.

"Plane? How the air feels? What are you talking about Zikkar?"

Zikkar thought for a moment, then figured that a little explanation wouldn't harm anything. After all, he doubted the Princess didn't know about planes of existence, not with so much magical power at her disposal. What would a peon use with the knowledge anyways, if he could even understand it.

"Castle has many floors, yes? You reach each floor with stairs. All existence like castle. You find stairs in existence, you find other floors. Many different stairs...most of them not so friendly to travelers."

Shining smiled and nodded.

"I think I understand. So you're saying that...above and below us are other worlds?"

Zikkar started to chitter his laughter.

"That simple way to see, yes. But side to side too. Forward and back. Even in and out. Planes all ways to go. Travel easy once know how, but getting where want is hard part. Easy get lost, like Zikkar now lost."

They had reached the bottom of a tall tower just outside the tower, though Zikkar suddenly realized he hadn't paid attention to the path they'd taken. Damn this creature for occupying his attention.

"Well, that's a bit to chew, but I think I see your position. Lost in a new world with different magic must put a damper on your own abilities."

Zikkar was about to speak when it dawned on him he had yet to test a single spell here! If it didn't work, how would he be able to give them anything for their magic if he couldn't even prove he had the ability, despite his intent to not actually teach them everything they needed to actually learn his spellcraft.

"Zikkar...need ask Guard favor. There place to practice spells?"

"Of course there is! Sunset's Observatory has plenty of wards and space to practice magic. It's one of the reasons she got the tower in the first place, what with her own affinity for fire magic."

Shining was already climbing the stairs, leading the tiny reptile upwards and onwards. The pony did wonder what was with how small the reptile was, though, and if he really could work magic without a horn. He'd heard of the very rare magicians among the gryphons, but hadn't even heard of any other creature that could work spells besides them and ponies.

As they reached the landing for the Observatory, a rather loud explosion of sound was accompanied by the tower shuddering, soon followed by a some smoke escaping between the center of the double doors before them, as well as from open windows.

"See? This tower can take a beating just fine. Sunset's proof of that."

Speaking her name almost seemed to summon her, as a very singed pony of bright orange, with mane and tail of red and yellow flamelike quality, opened the doors, allowing a large cloud of smoke to exit, while she herself coughed up some soot of her own.

"I could have sworn I had that rig...oh! Hello Shining."

Shining gave a light nod to the smoking pony, who had just noticed she had company. Seeing Zikkar, she tilted her head in curiosity.

"Um...what is that?" Her hoof pointed at Zikkar, whose eyes narrowed under his smoked lenses.

"Zikkar not 'what', Zikkar is Zikkar!"

"That answer your question Sunset?" Shining chuckled as he saw Sunset glare at the speaking lizard in confusion.

"Ok then, and was is Zikkar doing here? I'm busy with my studies, Shining. I don't have time to add a strange talking reptile to my research at the moment."

As Shining opened his muzzle to speak, Zikkar pointed at her with a grimace of his own.

"Little horse not speak of Zikkar like not here! Zikkar not strange reptile. Zikkar noble kobold sorcerer! Princess say learn new magic from student, but if you student, you weak student! Zikkar not even feel magic from little horse! Guard feel stronger!"

And Zikkar wasn't lying. Compared to the guard beside him, Sunset felt like barely a speck of dust to him. How could the Princess think such a weakling could teach him!

If looks could kill, the glare Sunset gave the kobold would have likely melted him on the spot.

"Maybe that's because, unlike Shining here, I don't go around just letting my magic leak all over the place. No offense Shining, but you do really need to practice on keeping a lid on your reserves. As for you, oh 'noble kobold', unless you can hide your own magic presence, what you have wouldn't even lift a twig off the ground. Whereas I..."

At this point, her horn began to glow, which confused Zikkar for only a moment before he was lifted off the ground by a matching haze all around him.

"...hide my signature very well, and could easily lift many more of you without breaking a sweat. So...tell me, what can YOU do, hmm?"

She didn't notice the sorcerer mumbling under his breath, claws making gestures in the air he had been lifted into, before he pointed at Sunset and released his spell, the ground just in front of Sunset making a very loud bang, startling her and making her release her telekinetic hold. When the kobold hit the ground, he was already laughing.

"Pony weak magic user if lose control from little bang! Hahahaha! Zikkar no need lots magic for easy target!"

Shining had his muzzle in a hoof, not believing what he was seeing and hearing. If these two were going to work together, he feared for the safety of everything near the tower. Sunset's experiments were known to test the limits of the wards as it was...