Autumn was stirred from slumber by the sound of a hoof rapping on the door to her room. Blinking the sleep from her eyes she glanced at a clock mounted to the wall. 10:37.

“[Must have slept later than usual]” she muttered in her slurring native language of Kirnewek. When the knocking persisted she turned to the door and called out “One moment”. She then hastily climbed out of bed, making sure to activate a number of certain concealment charms, and made her way to a simply dress table and setting about brushing at her mane in an attempt to bring order to her unruly bed-mane. As she was doing this she called out to bid enter and turned to see Octavia cautiously making her way in.

“I trust you are recovering?” the slate grey earth pony asked

“Being...whatever it is we are as Wrakjon must come with advanced rate of healing” Autumn said “The wounds are already starting to heal up, and I don’t feel quite so sore as I should...still wrecks something fierce, though” Octavia drew closer, a clear purpose in her movements.

“Autumn, listen, Onælan told me about what happened between the two of you before you found that body” she said, her expression hardening “to say that I’m less than impressed would be an understatement” Autumn closed her eyes and sighed in irritation as her posture sagged somewhat.

“Octavia, list-” she was cut off very abruptly.

“Your Princess speaks!” Octavia barked, her normally reserved voice almost hardening to the manner used by the royalty of old, taking the ex-guard pony completely by surprise and making her flinch as if struck. “Romantic relations, friends with benefits, one off flings, however you so choose to go about getting your rocks off are one thing, but all but pinning him down in the open on the forest floor, when he has clearly shown no apparent interest one way or the other? This I will not stand for. I let you lead us because your past experience makes you better suited to lead us than myself, and I am loath to pull rank but by the gods I will not hesitate to strip you of any power and assume command myself if you pull something like that again!” Octavia was absolutely livid by the time she finished, though Autumn seemed unperturbed.

“Are you finished?” she asked nonchalantly, as she turned and resumed brushing her mane, looking at Octavia, when the earth pony elected not to verbally respond she continued “Right, yes, I’ll admit I bucked up, what I did yesterday was a touch overboard, but there are things at play which both yourself and Onælan clearly do not fully understand”

“Like what, exactly?” Octavia asked incredulously.

“Cast your mind back to Canterlot, when Fantasia spoke to the four of us about our powers and what we were to do. What were the specific words she used when translating the name she had given to Onælan?” she asked.

“To ignite, but also to inspire or to lead” Octavia recalled.

“Exactly, Fantasia wouldn’t just drop that specific wording without expecting him to assume some sort of leadership role at some point” Autumn said, rolling her eyes “Now, ask yourself if he really fits the bill of “leadership material” at this moment in time” Octavia conceded Autumn’s point with a reluctant nod

“Admittedly he seems to follow others rather than strike out on his own, though last night is an exception…” she said.

“He needs to be more bold, think ahead and think for himself” Autumn said “but before all of that he needs to learn to stand up for himself. Everytime I try to get him to spar rather than fighting back he always yields, it’s aggravatingly pacifistic even by Equestrian standards, but I think I’ve found a way in”

“How so?” Octavia asked, somewhat warily.

“He very seldom reacts to any remarks directed at him. oh, they get to him all right, i can practically see him burning on the inside, his chosen element in certainly apt” Autumn said “but he never rises up to what I say about him. But the moment I mentioned Tarn, well it wasn’t specifically Tarn herself, but that’s when he floored me”

“He did mention something about certain comments setting him off” Octavia admitted.

“He never rises up to remarks about him, but when it’s directed at others, that’s when he goes ballistic” Autumn said “And now that I’ve found the right pressure point, I just need to apply some pressure”

“So what are you saying? That I’m to just stand back and watch as you verbally tear him the shreds?” Octavia asked, bristling somewhat, making Autumn sigh.

“Yes and no” she said “Yes in that you can’t interfere for so long as there is progress to make, no in that you don’t have to be detached from it all. I’m not blind to what it’s making me think of him, which is where the rest of you come in, you need to be there for him, but you can’t tell him why I’m the way I am” Octavia hummed uncertainty, a pained expression on her face.

“For the record I really don’t like this” she said, and Autumn hummed in agreement.

“I don’t either” she said “but sooner or later I’m going to break through to him...I have to if he’s to reach Heimut in one piece” Octavia sighed, massaging her forehead with a hoof.

“Just...from now on try not to be too much of an outright cunt…”

*POV First person Onælan*

My magical aura fizzled out with a pop and the arrow I had been attempting to levitate dropped to the table with a clatter. I noticed Vinyl shake her head in irritation.

“Remember to watch your focus” she said

“I do, but every time I try to increase my focus it just fizzles out” magic, especially for a non unicorn like myself, was tricky and very ad-hoc, whereas Vinyl could cast all with a simple thought, for me only the most basic of spells could be cast mentally, and for the rest it would differ greatly from spell to spell due to other non-unicorn races historically attempting to match them for magical prowess, but each only coming so far, though together they made something close to a whole.

As such I was having to learn many different techniques at once, sign language-like hand gestures of the minotaurs, fire based magics of the dragons (useful for long distance communication), three entirely separate schools of verbal magic; one rhyming and developed by zebras, the other harsh and bellowing developed by griffins, and the third comprising of utterings in old equine. And yet more still were cast mentally, the levitation spell I was attempting to perform being one of the latter.

For what it's worth I had decided against informing Twilight that I was learning magic, I couldn't explain it but for whatever reason I felt it more beneficial to not let her in on every single detail, though I couldn't explain why, as such I only asked general questions which could be passed off as an outsiders curiosity.

“Well, yeah, you need to focus, but don’t focus too hard on keeping your focus. Make sense?”

“About as much sense as turning left to go right” I muttered, prompting Vinyl’s ears to twitch and she regarded me with a sideways look, before gesturing to the arrow once more.

“again”

I sighed, once more held out my left hand and attempted focus on trapping into the magical ether, mentally cast magic like this was tricky to explain, resulting in a lot of vague descriptions and double negatives. I couldn't feel something that was there, more something that wasn't not there. Like feeling sensations from a third hand that you knew didn't exist. The ether itself was equally vague and self contradicting, like the deepest ocean contained within the shallowest puddle, the tallest mountain within the smallest room.

I tentatively “didn't” feel out for the arrow and a faltering reddish aura surrounded my hand, and after a short delay the same faltering aura surrounded the arrow, which began to quiver and twitch. Rather than trying to force myself focus, to force the arrow to move, I decided to approach things differently. Instead I closed my eyes and began trying to steady my often chaotic thoughts, letting the magic I was attempting to cast become a secondary task as my mind slowly began to calm itself. I must have completely lost track of my surroundings as next thing I knew Octavia’s frantic calling of my name shook my out of my trance, when I opened my eyes I was greeted with an intense red aura surrounding the arrow, which was hovering some 3 foot off the table and starting to smoulder, this only lasted for a moment however as the break in concentration suddenly set my mind towards trying to reel the magic in, which had completely the opposite effect as more magic shot out of my hand, looking almost like lightning as it hit the arrow which proceeded to explode into splinters, before the magic aura surrounding the ex-arrow’s former location imploded with a loud bang creating a small shockwave which sent myself and Vinyl stumbling backwards and physically rocked the boat. In addition to this I felt lancing pain shoot through my mind, making me cry out and grab my head in an attempt to do something to stop the throbbing pain.

When the pain finally subsided and I regained my senses I looked around to see various passersby all staring at me and muttering in hushed alarm. I then turned to see a concerned Octavia and decidedly shocked Autumn, whilst Tarn was poking her head out from the cabin, Vinyl meanwhile looked downright horrified, which was unusual for the usually unflappable vampire.

“What the fuck just happened?” I asked.

“You might have gotten a bit too focussed” Vinyl said “When Octavia broke your concentration it disturbed what tentative control you had on the magic, But even then, I’ve never known a magical feedback to be so...spectacular, I would struggle to get so much as a crack if something like that happened to me” I tentatively tried to call forth my magic, credit where it’s due it came much more freely this time, the aura holding steady. My attention was diverted once more by Autumn clearing her throat.

“I think it might be best if we leave….” she said, glancing at the increasingly unsettled locals.

Some time later we were drifting our way along the river, over the course of the day our path had gradually shifted from due west to north-west, and our journey was now being shadowed by spectacular mountains, clearly we would be rounding on Autumn’s childhood home either sometime today or perhaps the day after, then after that rounding back north east to head towards Yarvik. I couldn’t help but feel a mild excitement for what Yarvik might be like. And in a world I knew jack all about it was refreshing to have somewhere I was looking forwards to visiting.

Apparently Octavia’s little chat with Autumn had at least done something towards her attitude. Whilst she wasn’t exactly being nice, she was at least treating me with basic courtesy, asking me to do things rather than demanding, hell she’d even cornered me when we were alone, or at least alone as one could be on a 40 foot boat, and had proceeded to apologise for what happened in the forest, still wasn’t all that happy with her, but I figured in my situation I should learn to savour the small victories.

“Um...out of curiosity” I said to her “and you don’t have to answer, but when was the first time you..well, saw death?” at this her expression shifted to...something I couldn’t place, certainly not good, that much was sure.

“It’s been two weeks since you went berserk in that warehouse with Vinyl and you ask me about death now?” she asked almost incredulously

“I’ve been trying not to think about the warehouse” I said “I like to pretend that I wasn’t fully in control of my actions and thoughts, try and shift responsibility somehow, helps me to sleep at night”

It..it won’t get easier, you know” she said, for once she seemed vulnerable “that memory is going to likely stick with you for the rest of your life, you know”

“And what about you?” I asked, at this her expression darkened.

“Truth be told...I’d rather not discuss it” she said, before turning and walking away.

“And here I thought I was making progress” I muttered, as Autumn took off and perched herself on the canopy of the boat. I also came to the realisation that she had successfully deflected my question the first time without even raising my suspicions, which annoyed me to no end, needless to say my perception of her had gone right back to square one; I hated her, but I hated the fact that I hated her, but at the sametime I felt it wasn’t down to my own faults that I hated her...I also hated that she was right about me being confusing. I found myself starting into the water, irritated with my situation…

My reflection stared back…

For some reason I found myself focussing on my own reflection, something wasn’t right. Before I could so much as flinch something burst through my reflection and out of the water, striking me on the head and knocking my flat on my back in the bottom of the boat. Something landed beside me with a thud, dripping with water. I came to my senses and saw the snarling face of one of those kelpies from before glaring down at me. It was one of the shark ones, Cap-all something? I thought I had got them all when I’d obliterated their boat, apparently not.

“ah’ve got yew now...wutever yew are…” she snarled in what sounded like a thick irish accent to my ears, placing a cloven hoof firmly on my chest and leaning in close, her nostrils and gills flaring as she panted. “Now ah’m going tew make yew pay fur wut yew did tew mah muintir” I heard the clatter of hooves as Autumn, Octavia & Vinyl dashed over, only for the Kelpie to hiss at them “Stay back, ah have nuu quarrel with ye, just this cur right here” Autumn took a defensive pose in front of Octavia and Vinyl, but didn’t make any move to approach

“That’s all well and good” I hissed through the pressure she was applying to my chest “But you made three very big mistakes” truth be told, I was just buying time at this point, Autumn was more than likely hanging back to see how I handled myself, ready to step in should this creature make a move to actually wound me.

“Oh ah don’t think s-”

“First” I said, interrupting her “You came after me, I’d have thought you’d realise I maybe shouldn’t be fucked with after I obliterated your boat and laid waste to your clan single handedly, I left those of you who survived alive out of mercy”

“Second” I continued “You came by yourself. A single unarmed shark pony to go after me? I’m quite frankly insulted after the size of that explosion”

“It was a big explosion” Autumn muttered, I then lifted my head and stared her straight in the kelpie’s eyes.

“But do you want to know what your biggest mistake was?”

“Wut?” she muttered, half in a rage and half confused.

“Your biggest mistake?” I said in a low whisper, before proceeding to kick her off, and in one fluid motion pin her to the ground, summon my sword and press it against her neck. I was burning with anger at this point “Your biggest mistake was you decided to gloat about revenge rather than killing me when you had the fucking chance!” I then raised my sword up and proceeded to clock her in the head with the hilt, knocking her unconscious. Autumn shrugged as she relaxed and began making her way over.

“Well, colour me impressed, ape, you managed to subdue a kelpie” she then drew her own hoof blades and went for the throat. Only for me to block her with my own sword “You aren’t seriously considering sparing her life again, are you? She was on that bucking ship and she came after you when you spared her life the first time”

“I reckon she could be of use, providing she’s willing to tow the line” I said, examining the kelpie, this was my first time getting a good look at one of these creatures. Rather than having fur, she appeared to have smooth grey and white skin similar to a dolphin’s, not a single muscle or bone could be seen under what I could only assume was a layer of blubber. She did still have a dark mane on the top of her head, which coupled with the distinctly shark-like tail threw me off. The symbol of a rigging knot adorned her flanks, clearly these things had predestined talents just like every other equine on this planet. Once over complete, I turned to Autumn “Get me some rope, and make sure it’s sturdy.”

About ten minutes later we watched the kelpie, who was still unconscious, the first thing I’d done when Autumn had retrieved some rope for me was strap the kelpie to the chimney of this boat her head about level with my own. That made it clear that she was at my complete mercy right from the moment she awoke, best to establish dominance when dealing with pirate types....

Eventually I got bored of watching the sleeping Kelpie and proceeded to grab a bucket from the cabin, filled it with water from the river, then I sat back down and in one fluid motion I proceeded to drench the kelpie in water whilst summoning my sword and leaning on the hilt. The kelpie woke with a start, spluttering, before looking around frantically and trying to wriggle out of her bonds without success.

“So glad of you to join us” I said. The kelpie hissed, like, full on hissed like a snake. “Don’t bother magicking your way out, Tavi here is ready to stick an arrow through you if you so much as flicker your horn” at this I jerked my horn towards Octavia, who was stood behind me and to the left, reared up on her hind legs with the bow ready to fire.

“If yew tied may up tew brag then yew might as well cut tew the chase and just gut me here and now” I said.

“Sounds very tempting” I said “you did cannibalize a pony recently, more than likely not the first. Certainly wouldn’t be much of a loss if I gutted you right now to make char-grilled shark steak for tea”

“Mare’s gotta eat, ain’t she?” the kelpie asked in a non-cholant manner “besides, yer wan tew talk, yee aren’t exactly one of the grazing types either, I see it in yewr teeth”

“that’s besides the point” I said “I like to consider myself a man of practicality, although I utterly despise your background, you no doubt have certain skills which would be of use for what I intend to do” at this the Kelpie became wary.

“And that would be…?” she asked.

“In case you hadn’t figured I’m not exactly local” I said

“Really?” the Kelpie asked in a deadpan “why I could have sworn yee fit right in with the Yarvik Tykes, what with the drawl and the fact yer legs reach to the fooking mountains”

“by which I mean I was dragged kicking and screaming across dimensions by one of your world’s gods for some predestined prophetic bullshit and all but booted from Canterlot by said god without so much as a “fuck you very much, now head north”” I said, getting slightly irritated, this made her deadpan expression falter.

“Oh…” she said, dragging it out.

“And, during my short time on this planet I’ve very quickly come to realise that I do not like the heimut queen one bit” I said “So I’ve decided to head north a wage a little 5 person war against her xenophobic arse” at this the kelpies eyes widened.

“Nay” she said, sounding genuinely panicked, as she redoubled her efforts to try and wriggle free “I will noot step one foot within that mad betch’s realm, I’d be shot on sight” at this I stood up and casually strode over, before pressing the tip of my blade against the underside of her chin.

“I don’t see you as having much of a choice” I said “Either you choose to join us in which case you have a chance to turn your life around and be part of something greater, or I gut you here and now and be done with it, either way it's no real loss on my end, at worst I don't gain anything” the Kelpie frowned at this, before looking down at my blade, her expression becoming perplexed.

“Y…yew’ve never actually been shown how tu properly hold a sword…have yew?” she asked, catching me completely off guard.

“I don't know whether to take that as a yes or a no…” I said, confused.

“Let me guess, tha’ feather head has been trying to teach yew tew fight” the Kelpie said in a deadpan. Autumn bristled at this.

“And what's that supposed to mean!?” she asked indignantly, at which the kelpie rolled her eyes.

“the way yew hold yurself, I'm going to guess Trottingham guard, am I right?” The kelpie asked, at which Autumn hesitantly nodded, frowning “In which case yew’ve been trying to teach him to fight like a pony, which will-nay work for someone of his stature”

“And what makes you think you know better?” Autumn asked, at which the Kelpie smirked.

“Just because ahm a pirate does nuut mean ahm an idiot” the Kelpie said “ah’ve had enough run ins with yer sort tew know that yew’re tought tew stick tew the most traditional of techniques, yew’re almost religious about it. Makes it very easy to outmaneuver yew with a few less traditional methods” Autumn seethed, but didn’t rebuke the accusations either.

“I’ll tell yews another thing as well” she said, looking strangely relaxed given her current predicament “The lot of yews will be lucky to survive trekking through the wilds like yews are, Guards are trained tew travel in large groups, large enough to ward off most threats, but out here? In Stirrupe? yews got sabre-toothed cats, short faced bears, dire wolves, and that’s not even touching on the magical beasts. Fat chance of walking it should yews end up without yer boat” Truth be told I was getting whiplash from how rapidly this kelpie was changing tone, first she was after my guts, then outright terrified at the prospect of going to Heimut, and now she was wanting to come with us? I was starting to doubt her sanity. I sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of my nose.

“Are you coming with us? Yes? Or no?” I asked.

“Clearly someone has to keep yer sorry hides out of trouble” she said, before riggling some more “The name's Alee, by the way. now cut me loose and ah’ll show yews how to really fight”

Author's Note

Every group's gotta have that one batshit indevidual to break up the monotony...

feedback would be much appreciated at this point, I like people to tell me if they think I'm mistepping or not, can't get better if I'm not given feedback, now am I?