After releasing Sunset from the hug, I was informed that my clothing was burnt and what was still intact, had been cut off by the doctors when I was being wheeled into the OR. I was going to ask her about where the quarterstaff I was using back in the castle went, but I noticed it leaning up against the wall just behind a bunch of balloons that said: "Get Well Soon".

"Sunset, can you go back to the house and get me a new set of clothing and a new lab coat and my checkbook, please? It will probably take a few hours before I can leave here, not to mention pay the bill." I ask

"Sure, I'll teleport over there and be back in a few minutes. Don't miss me too much," she said before teleporting away.

I let out a long sigh, and run my hands through my hair as I sit down on the couch. I sit there on the couch thinking about what I need to do. I need to talk to Celestia and get a reimbursement for the tank she launched into the forest, as I doubt I will be getting it out any time soon, even if I can find it that is. I should probably talk to Luna just to make sure she is alright, I'm fairly sure she will have some sort of PTSD after seeing an extra crispy unicorn. I need to talk to the other six back in Ponyville, make sure there are no hard feelings after they toasted me. And I need to start thinking of how to tell Sunset about my past, maybe in a year or two. It is too early in our new relationship to dump information like that on her.

Looking over at the table next to the couch, I see a couple of cards resting on it. They look like generic "Get Well Soon" cards you would get at a store. As I read through them, I noticed that I have one from everyone except for Celestia and Luna. I wasn't expecting one from them considering that Celestia is the ruler of the country, and Luna is probably is suffering from PTSD or culture shock, perhaps even both. But I do have to say I am a bit disappointed, especially in Celestia, as from what I can gather, she knew about Nightmare Moon returning and where she would eventually end up. I'm going to have to go to the castle and have a few choice words with her.

Standing up, I go to the corner and grab my quarterstaff. As I examine it, I notice that there is a slight rainbow shimmer to the crystals. Curious... I sit back down on the couch and I start casting spells to see exactly what is going on. I start by examining the atomic structure of crystal-infused titanium-steel alloy, and there is no noticeable change to the atomic structure. I then move on to checking the crystals for stored magic, only to find that there is no significant magic stored in the crystals themselves. Finally, I check it for enchantments, which should, in theory, be next to impossible on an alloy like this, but to my surprise not only is there an enchantment on the quarterstaff, but an extremely powerful one of a school of magic that I am not familiar with. But, from what I know about enchantments, I can, in theory, change the size and shape of an object and allow for it to keep its enchantment, so long as there is no sudden change in mass. I will have to test this on less... important enchanted items to see if the theory is correct before I even try it on this, but before that, I need to find out what school of magic this enchantment belongs to and identify what the enchantment does. As I finish looking it over, I decide to cast the Pocket Dimension spell and store the quarterstaff in side

Sunset teleported back into the hospital room with new clothing in one hand, and my checkbook in the other just as I finished storing the quarterstaff. "Thank you for getting some clothes for me Sunset. Now if you don't mind, I am going to go get changed. If you want, you can head home and I should be there my either tonight or tomorrow morning, or you can stay here with me while I fill out paperwork, get examined, and pay the bill." I said as I took my clothing from her.

"I think I'll head home. I might have been sleeping on this couch for the entire time, and I desperately need to sleep in a real bed again," she said

"I know that feeling. I have done that once or twice back at the school. I will see you later Sunset, go get some real sleep on a real bed." I said as I gave her one last hug.

"I can do that. Catch you later my love." She said as she kissed me before teleporting out.

I let out a small chuckle as I go to the bathroom to go get changed.

It took another 3 hours of filling out paperwork and getting examined to make sure everything was in working order before I was finally discharged at noon. Leaving this hospital, I was greeted by the elegant sight of Canterlot, the stone-paved streets, the elegant houses and shops that lined the streets, and of course the castle in the distance. I start walking towards the castle, as day-court should have just stopped for lunch, and should start up again around 1. I'll make my way there early, and be first in line for the second half of day court.

I start walking towards the castle, and I am reminded why I didn't come outside of the university all that often, I see the elite ponies of Canterlot quite literally moving to the other side of the street when they saw a homeless pony on the street begging for some bits. All while dressed in extravagant outfits that must have cost around the same amount as my house in Ponyville did, yet are made of the same base materials that everyone else is wearing. Yet at the same time, the normal ponies are willing to stay on the same side of the street but not even acknowledge the pony asking for a few bits. Fortunately, there are a few good eggs among these stuck up snobs, the occasional noble giving bits to the pony, while the common worker sometimes walks past, and returns later with some food, drink, or some clothing for them.

But, that is how it tends to be in society, the upper class tends to worry about themselves, the middle class helps where they can, and the lower class looks out for one another and hope that their luck will turn around in the near future. It is a vicious cycle that has repeated itself throughout history, where the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. Sure the rich say that they are helping the poor by throwing charity events and donating money to "Charitable" causes, but from what I have seen here in Canterlot, a majority of that money finds it's way to "Beautification Projects" that usually involve the areas where the rich live, work, and shop. With the occasional real charity that goes towards things like orphanages, homeless shelters, and soup kitchens.

As I walk closer to the homeless pony, I see that it is a female pegasus with grey fur, somber green eyes, and ash grey hair, she couldn't have been older than 19 years old, and she wore a dirty white shirt with underneath a grey coat and brown pants, both the coat and pants were torn and had patches covering the areas that were too large to stitch up, and pair of old gloves. She had an old can sitting next to her left leg and in front of it was a sign asking for spare bits. As I walk closer to her, I step off to the side and I pull out my checkbook and using a pen I took from the hospital, I write a check for 300,000 bits, it should improve her situation enough for her to move to a better area, rent a small house for a year, and allow for her to buy food for that year until she can find a stable job. Plus I have plenty of money saved up since Sunset and I have been patenting and licensing our inventions over the years we were in Ponyville. Last time I checked a years ago, I had close to 750 million bits at our inventions became more popular over time, and we were getting more money every day.

Stepping back onto the main path, I continue towards the homeless pegasus, as I approached, she was busy thanking another pony for giving her a few bits. Approaching her, she looks at me with those somber eyes that say, "can you spare any bits good pony?" I walk up to her, with my checkbook hidden in my coat pocket.

"Hello there, might I ask your name, and what happened to put you in this unfortunate situation?" I ask

"Hi... my name is Stormy Skies," She said in a sullen voice "I... I lost my parents a few months after I turned 16, and I... I didn't realize how deep in debt they were, so when the passed away, the bank came and seized their assets to try and get their money back. Leaving me with nothing other than the clothes I was wearing at the time. I have been living on the streets of Canterlot for the three years. Living on handouts and sleeping where I can rest my head. Might I ask who you are?"

"Such as tragedy for someone so young. My name is Dr. Moonshadow Flash, the foremost expert on transmutation. Now please stand up, with your permission, I would like to cast a spell on you that will repair your clothing." said holding a hand to help her up

Stormy looked at my hand for a moment, before she grabbed it and I helped her up. "Sure..." she said.

"Now this may tickle a bit, so just hold still for a minute," I said as I started casting the spell. I watched as the torn areas of her clothing stitch up as the fibers were reconnected, the patches on her coat and pants changed color to match the rest of the fabric, and any signs of patchwork disappeared, and lastly, and filth on her clothing was cleaned away.

Finishing the spell, Stormy looked down at her mended clothes, "Thank you... these... these clothes are the last thing I have of my old life."

"I am glad I can help. Oh, before I go, I have one more thing for you," I said pulling out my pen and checkbook from my pocket, I write Stormy Skies on the final line of the check. "Take this to a bank and open an account in your name, once you do that, I want you to try and salvage what you can of your life," I said putting the check in her hands and clasping them, "Don't freak out over the amount, just remember two things, no matter how bad your life seems all you need is a chance to turn it around, and that everyone deserves a second chance to live the life they were meant to live," I said with a smile on my face as I released her hands.

When I let go, she looked at the check, and I saw joy and hope in those once somber eyes. And without warning, she gave me a massive hug, and with a shaky voice said, "Thank you... Thank you so much. I will never forget what you have given me."

"You are quite welcome Miss Skies, now you should go open that account and go get a nice hot meal before start living your life again," I said once again with a smile.

When she released me from the hug, I could see tears rolling down her face, "I will Dr. Flash. Once I get my life back, I promise I will pay you back for this." she said wiping the tears from her face.

"Please, there is no need. Now, I must be off Miss Skies. I bid you farewell." As I turned and continued on my way to the castle.

"Thank you! I will repay this favor one day!" she said as I walked away.

I put my hand up in the air acknowledging that I heard her as I continue to walk away. As I walked down the path, I am looking in the storefront windows to see if they have anything interesting in stock. It mostly consists of expensive clothing, hats, and restaurants that look they serve the same menu, with the only interior difference being slightly different decor. However, I stopped at one store when I saw something that I wanted to buy right then and there. It was a store that sold only sunglasses, and right in the front window was a pair of Aviators that looked just like the ones in Top Gun.

Surprisingly, it was relatively cheap for something that was produced in Canterlot. Only 5,000 bits. But completely worth it. Finally, I arrived in front of the castle, unfortunately, there was already a line of at least 30 ponies waiting at the castle gates, I guess others had the same idea that I had, unfortunately, knowing the rumors about the trivial problems that are brought today court, and the likelihood for bickering between two ponies to occur, I will probably be here for a few hours.

Five hours... Five fucking hours I have been waiting in line. It was almost 6 pm, and the last call for Day Court should be happening anytime now. However, I am next in line and no matter what, I should be guaranteed to get in. I have some very choice words to say to Celestia. Like having the guards screen requests to see if they really need to be addressed by the Princess, or to tell the pony to fuck off.

"Last appointment for the day, Number 32!" A guard shouted into the room. I stood up and walked up, while everyone else that behind me groaned out loud as they realized that they would have to come back tomorrow to try and get their complaints heard.

Walking past the guard, I approached a set of large wooden double doors that were adorned with ornate gold and silver filigree and had a golden sun with a silver moon embedded in the center of both doors.

On either side of the doors, were two unicorn guards dressed in the formal gold armor holding spears guarding the throne room. As I approached, the two guards opened the large doors with magic. The throne room was a long room with carved pillars on each side of a long carpet that stretched from the door to the throne that sat upon a golden dais. On either side of the room, between the pillars, there were intricately stained glass windows depicting events of bygone ages.

In front of the dais were two more guards with spears guarding Princess Celestia who sat on the throne atop the dais. Celestia looked bored out of her mind and looked like she just wanted court to end so she could get out of there. She wasn't even looking down towards me as I approached, she instead was looking off to the side of the room through one of the two regular windows in the back of the throne room.

"Hello, there my subject, with what can I help you with today," Celestia said still not looking my way

Since she is not paying attention, I think I will fuck with her a bit by changing my accent and lowering my tone of voice until she decides to actually look at me, I think French will work well for this. "Hello there Princess Celestia, I am here requesting reimbursement for property damaged by the crown, and property destroyed by the crown."

She lets out a sigh, "What was damaged, what is the estimated value, and who caused the damages?" she asked as she levitated a piece of paper and pen out of a basket to the side of the throne. She as still yet to actually look my way.

"Let's see here, an experimental vehicle using proprietary technology and materials, hand made valuing around 600 million bits, emotional damages to one unicorn, and one extra crispy pony's medical bills which came out to around 5 million bits. As to who caused it, one Purple Unicorn, and one White Alicorn that likes cake a bit too much." I said still doing my best impression of a snobby Frenchman.

After a moment, of Celestia processing what I had just said, she glanced down at me with a glare, as while it was well known that Celestia had quite the sweet tooth, no noble in their right mind had called her out on it. It took her a moment of looking at me, but once she realized who was standing in front of her throne, she went from a looking displeased to surprised.

"Moonshadow?" She asked

"Suuuuup," I said doing my best impression of Alucard

"What are you doing out of the hospital? You should still be healing from your injuries." She said as she started walking down towards me.

"Well, normally you would be right if it wasn't for the fact that I am brilliant and was able to modify a spell I had when I did some... alterations, to restore and regenerate what was so rudely burned by a magical rainbow," I said as she was approaching me. I really had just wanted to say, 'eh, I got better.' but I knew she would ask how if I did so.

"Do you mind if I look for myself?" She asked

"Above the belt only, please," I said with a smirk as I took my new lab coat off, to which she just rolled her eyes. Once my lab coat was off, she started touching my hand and upper arms where the burns had previously been. They were still a little numb as my brain was still processing that it had feeling back in these areas.

"Amazing, you said you modified a spell? Which one was it? If possible, I would like to make it so at least one doctor in every hospital can use it."

"I am afraid it is not that simple. The spell I used was one of my design that requires a previously existing scan of someone's body to work properly, as well as certain compounds and elements to be within 10 feet of the caster, otherwise, it will start destroying objects that contain the elements that are needed and can result in... unforeseen consequences. In theory, you could use a scan of several ponies to create a general template, but there is always the possibility that it could result in cancers, mismatched fur, permanent pain, among other things. To be frank with you, there was a good chance that the spell would have failed in the first place. I had to adjust it while casting it to make sure it remained stable."

"That's a shame that it can't be used right away. If you have the chance, can you write that spell down? Maybe with enough time, we can use it to save a lot of ponies."

"I can do that once I get back home. By the way, how is... Princess Luna?" I ask

Celestia looked a bit somber when I brought up Luna's name, "She blames herself for what happened to you. For the first week, she was back, she refused to eat and she slept all day. While she is starting to come around, she only comes out of her room to eat twice a day. If I am being honest here, I don't even know what exactly happened to you. I only I knew more, then maybe I could help."

I took a moment to process what she had said about her sister and the fact that even she didn't know exactly what had happened. "Well, I can tell you what I know. I was using a quarterstaff out of a special alloy that I made to absorb magic, which by the way, the vehicle you threw into the evergreen was made of the same material, to hold your sister back while Twilight and her friends blasted her with the elements. I remember it started to hurt once your sister began shrinking." I said recalling what had happened. "Oh, speaking of that, do you have any idea what enchantment and school of magic is on the quarterstaff I used? It wasn't enchanted while I was holding her back, but now it is." I said as pulled the quarterstaff out of the pocket dimension and handed it to Celestia.

As she grasps it, and I let go, I see her arm jerk down toward the ground a good inch before she pulls it back up with a small grunt. "Why is it so heavy?" She asks

"It's not... it should only weigh around 5 pounds," I said confused

"Feels more like 200 pounds to me," she said as she was looking at it. After a moment, she holds the quarterstaff back out to me, and to prove my point, I pick it up and balance it on one finger.

"So... any idea what enchantment is on it?"

"No... but it looks like it has been enchanted with Harmony Magic, which should be impossible."

"Why is that?"

"Harmony magic is very rare, and the only known items to permanently hold harmony magic are the elements of harmony."

"So... is this some kind of new elements of harmony?" I ask

"No... the enchantment, while strong, is not even close to the same amount of power the elements hold."

"Interesting, I will have to do some tests with this once I get back home," I said as I put the quarterstaff back into my pocket dimension. "Now, about my reimbursement."

Celestia lets out a long sigh, "I really don't want an expense that large on the crown's financial records, is there anything else you might want in exchange?" she askes

"How about seven favors, anything I want at any time, within reason of course."

"Three." She countered

"Six."

"Four."

"Meet me in the middle at five favors."

"Fine, but in return, I want you to send a letter to Luna telling her to not punish herself so hard over what happened." Celestia said, "I want my sister back, and this incident is slowing that down."

"Deal, I'll write it once I get back home," I said holding my hand out for her to shake it.

"Very well then, we have a deal." She said as she shook my hand

"Thank you for your time, Celestia, now I have a train to catch. I wish you a good evening." I said as I put my lab coat back on and left the throne room.

Once out of the castle, I made my way towards the train station to catch the train back to Ponyville. Now I could have teleported back home, but I wanted to take it easy after just getting out of the hospital, and a train ride felt like a good idea right now. Walking through Canterlot towards the station, I saw ponies out eating at restaurants, and businesses closing up for the evening. 30 minutes later, I arrived at the train station and boarded the train back towards Ponyville. I didn't arrive until around 9 pm, and once I got home, all I wanted to do was go to bed. I quietly checked on Sunset, who was sleeping in her room, before heading to my room and promptly going to bed.

Author's Note

Hope you all like it. After the next chapter, we will find out where in the episode list we are.

No Edits other than checking with Grammarly, so let me know if you find a mistake.