John Sampson's Story

Shining was looking but not recognizing, “What is all that, John?”

“That’s the death of Equestria. Steel! Get down here Priority one!”

Steel arrived in seconds, “What is it, sir?” I just pointed. He looked and gasped, “That shouldn’t be possible.”

I replied, “But there it is. The three of us will box everything up and seal it. Anypony that breaks a seal will be summarily executed. It will be sent to my office for analysis. Shining, just go with me on this. I will explain when we are in a secure place.”

I set Swift and Twilight at the head of the stairs to guard the boxes and prevent anypony at all from coming down. Steel, Shining, and I got to work. It took a couple of hours and we even took the dust. Finally we were back in my office staring at a pile of boxes.

Shining was having a curiosity attack, “John, you can’t say something like that and leave me hanging.”

I turned to Steel, “We have to go look. You know that. Let’s take him.”

“It’s your call, John.”

So we went down the hall to my locked room. It hadn’t been touched by anypony authorized since we locked it. Steele and I produced our keys and used them. Everything was as we left it.

Shining was looking everything over, “I recognize that,” pointing to my AR. “There was something a lot like that in the bank but this is much better made. What does it do?”

I replied, “It kills Royalty. That is a fine example of the human tech that ended the rule of kings and queens on Terra hundreds of years ago. It makes any random child as strong as a squad of Unicorns.”

I explained to him how it operated and why it made such a difference.

“But there is good news. There is no chance that anypony in Equestria could duplicate it. The level of technical skill and precision is beyond anypony but me. The bad news is that the concept can be adapted to produce less powerful but far beyond anything Equestrian weapons. We need to go over every speck of this room and see if we can find out how they got in.”

An hour later we had found nothing. We locked back up and went back to my office. My stomach was certain that breakfast was long overdue. We had a enough for eight ponies brought in and I ate most of it. I’d used some large scale magic.

Shining, I am going to assume that you have had nothing to do with the theft because you didn’t know what was where until long after the theft. I want you to spend some time in my head and make damned sure nothing has slipped through. I stretched on a large beanbag and waited.

Shining was worried, “Are you sure you need this?”

“Yes, I want to be sure nopony has taken advantage of me without my conscious knowledge. I have nothing that I would hide from my brother Herd Stallion.”

“This could take a while.”

“You got anything better to do?”

I leaned back and closed my eyes. I felt the touch and images began to flow. The experience was timeless but I was hungry again when it was over.

Shining was somber, “John, you are one scary stallion. I’m beginning to feel sorry for Blueblood. Steel, would you believe he likes the taste of Manticore. He’s eaten more than the one everypony knows about. Be very very happy he is on our side.

“He is fully committed to Equestria and the Royal Herd and there is no sign at all that he has ever been interfered with or invaded.”

I stood and stretched, “How soon before you feel up to doing it again?”

Shining thought and, “About an hour after I get something to eat.”

“I’ll meet you in the cafeteria. Order fish, potatoes, and fruit for me. I’m going to tell Celestia what’s going on.”

Celestia was mad at me until I told her what I had been doing. She may be worse than AJ about taking it personally. They had invaded her Castle. She did have one piece of great news. Blueblood’s herd had reported an accidental magic backlash that killed three and injured two more at about the same time as I opened the wall.

Shining and Steel were pleased to hear of Blueblood’s misfortune.

Shining was looking at his food, “Damn you, John. You did this to me. I walked among your ‘demons’ to make sure nothing was hidden there but none of them bother me as much as the idea that you look at Manticores the same way Manticores look at ponies. Manticores are monsters.”

“Shining, did you look at how I see your sister?”

“No, you need some privacy.”

“We’ll have to fix that when we get back. It will give you some perspective.”

I enjoyed my dinner and Shining ate most of his. When we got back to my office I got back on the big bean bag.

I looked at Shining, “You said an hour. Is there something you would like to ask while dinner settles?”

Shining was back on curiosity, “I am wondering how such a small weapon has such strength.”

“That’s easy. Precise control of every component allows you to release an amazing amount of energy into a very small place in a very short time. Any of dozens of small mistakes will result in an inoperative weapon and possibly a dead operator.

“What makes it so effective is the ability to deliver that energy across hundreds of yards with relatively little loss or dissipation and great accuracy. I could stand in Blueblood’s upstairs bedroom and kill Celestia any morning I chose and it would happen so fast that she would be dead before she heard the sound it makes.

“All it takes is one single pony with a willingness to die and there is no effective defense. Your sovereign can never appear outdoors or before any group not screened in advance and thoroughly searched at the door. That’s how it ended the reign of kings and queens on Terra. No single pony could be directly responsible for anything without living in fear of the insane individual.”

“How could any government possibly function in a place like that? You’d have nothing but chaos and we know how that works out.”

“It’s not all bad. Imagine Blueblood on Celestia’s Throne. Many rulers were like that because there is no magic on Terra, especially no Magic of Friendship. At least there is a way to force reform when all else has failed. It eventually led to concepts like ‘the consent of the governed’ and ‘government by the ponies’. It also led inevitably to MAD, Mutual Assured Destruction, where nopony starts a war because nopony could survive a war. Now all you need is one small group that believes seventy two virgin mares are waiting for them after they die in battle.”

Steel is shocked, “John, surely humans can’t be that insane.”

“The problem, Steel, is that the same tech works for things other than weapons. As a farmer I could feed thousands by myself. That’s a good thing, right? But it removes ponies from the land. There are buildings on Terra with a population greater than Equestrian cities. And some of those humans go an entire lifetime without touching dirt or growing anything. How can you expect them to be sane?”

Shining said, “I’m ready. And understanding things I wish I had never heard.”

I laid back and closed my eyes. The images began and ran for a few minutes then stopped. Just as I opened my eyes I found myself being hugged by a large Unicorn.

Shining said, “John, I heard what Swift said but never realized how literally she meant it. I’m glad you’re the one for Twilight and I hope you get your dream.”

Now it’s Steel’s turn. I give him my comfortable spot on the bean bag and go find Twilight.

“About time you colts remembered the rest of the herd. What are you accomplishing locked in a room all day?”

“We are looking for the culprit in our theft, starting in our heads. Somepony got a good enough look at my weapon to try to duplicate it. The locks are undisturbed and the room looks untouched. So the possibilities are that we were compromised and the keys stolen or what I’m about to ask you. I know that Unicorns can ‘see’ the inside of things to some extent. What are the limits of that ‘extent’?”

“Well, John, you already know about magic and unintended outcomes. If you want to act on a given thing you have to have a complete grasp of what it is. You don’t want the water without the pitcher or vice versa. The ability to ‘see’ all of a thing is essential to handling it with magic.”

I needed more, “I’ve got that and I remember the Imaging Unicorn at the doctors office. But what are the limits of that kind of detailed visualization? How far can you ‘see’?”

“That depends on the Unicorn and their familiarity with the object. Celestia can reach the sun and Luna the moon. Mostly it parallels your eyesight. You can ‘see’ things that you can see.”

One more step, “That makes sense. Now what about things you can’t see with your eyes like my internal organs? Or maybe something in a locked drawer?”

“Your internal organs are part of you so they’re more about detail than distance. A drawer is trickier. Any Unicorn can ‘see’ the handle and pull it. Better is to ‘see’ the drawer itself by extension and be able to lift it as you pull. Best is to ‘see’ the contents as part of the drawer and then you can even teleport it. Only the strongest Unicorns can do that.”

Almost, “Could you teleport just the contents? Or even read a paper while it’s in the drawer?”

“It’s a rare few that could read the paper but teleporting it out and back in is relatively common. That’s why the bank has such tough shields built in to it’s building.”

“But they would have to get close to the building even without the shields? You couldn’t sit here in my office and ‘raid’ the bank?”

“Again, it parallels eyeball sight. If I was standing in the middle of a flat field and it’s too far away for me to see and identify, it’s too far away to manipulate with magic. There’s also a lot of training and detailed visualization needed to be able to see through multiple walls. It would take a lot of time to build the image.

“That tells me a lot. By locking the room and never touching anything, we may have been our own worst enemy. When Shining is done with Steel, one of them is going to have to do the same with you and Swift. I’m sorry but it has to be one of the few of us that already have knowledge of my tech. How do you feel about it? I guess I should tell you that I have already invited Shining to tour our relationship from my side and he has approved of me.”

“John, I don’t need his approval. I guess I would rather it be Shining but I don’t know if he’ll be willing. He’s always been the bashful one in the herd.”

“I didn’t do it for his approval. He had developed a slightly lopsided view after looking through my memories so I insisted that he see something I’m proud of. You might want to be careful bringing up food around him for a little while.”

“John, there is another option. You could do it. I trust you more than anypony else.”

“I don’t have a horn so I’m guessing that you will use yours to let me in. But I don’t have any training or experience. How badly could I screw up? Could I hurt you?”

“You’ve answered half of your own question. Remember how much of magic is intent? And you don’t even ask if you could hurt yourself. That’s why I trust you. I’m beginning to understand what makes you tick. I could train you right now then turn control over to you. That’s how it’s normally done. The only thing different is you not having a horn of your own. Some of what you see will be strange because you’ve never had a Unicorn point of view. You will certainly have a better answer to your earlier question.”

“I’m liking the way you’re learning too. You’re giving me confidence in your judgment. I want to let you see some things I do but I have to have absolute certainty that I will remain in control. There are some things in my head that you never want to see. Shining is no shrinking violet but he came out of there with the wobbles.”

“I know you, John. I don’t worry about anything you’ve done. I know who you are now.”

“Twilight, in our little raid on that bank I killed three Unicorns and crippled two. I enjoyed doing it because they were part of a threat to those I love. In the near future I will probably do it a lot more. I lived in the Everfree among the monsters by being a monster’s monster. That’s what disturbed your brother. He found out I like eating monsters. I want to be that sweet loving stallion you know but when anypony I love is threatened the monster can come out and play. You need to know about that monster, Twilight, because he is a perfectly normal human and he will always be part of me. I just don’t want to scare you away before you’ve had a chance to get to know him.”

“I don’t understand why you are telling me this right now.”

“Because if you walk in my mind you will meet him. He’s the one that keeps the demons in the basement. And he’s the one that does whatever it takes to keep others safe. You will need him if you want to rule a safe and prosperous Equestria. Do you still want to let a monster into your head?”

“I trust you, John. If he’s part of you, I trust him.”

“How do you want to do this? Do we have to maintain the touch all through it?”

“We have to maintain some kind of contact and the horn is best. Normally you would be in full control and could stand or lay as suits you. For training it would be better if we both lay face to face. We can only touch at the head or you could hold me. I think I like the holding better.”

We got comfortable on the bedroom pad in what was essentially a permanent kiss and I closed my eyes. The images came but they were different. They were not only different images but the organization was different. Then I saw the floor. I wanted to be there and I was. Twilight was standing next to me.

“Very good, John. Some Unicorns don’t get this far on their first day.”

The images were swirling across the horizon in front of me. Each was a small picture of an event. When I turned they were all around me.

“Now, John, choose a subject and make it your desire.”

Let’s start with something safe, food. I thought about food. Not much happened. So I wanted to see food and the images swirled wildly. Way too many to count. Okay, I want to see apples working from today back. And there they were, stable and arrayed in order right in front of me.

“Now I really want to see in your mind. That is amazing focus.”

“Twilight, it seems rather disorganized to me. I have to tell it how to order itself.”

“John, learning to keep your mind organized and focused is the toughest part of Unicorn training. If you don’t keep it that way your magic can get random and dangerous. Are you telling me that you’re more organized than me?”

“Way more organized. Remember the cutie mark? Organizing information is what I do.”

“I’ll bet that explains the other strange thing about you. Let’s see if you can open one. Pick whatever interests you and see if you can look inside it.”

I picked one that seemed recent and bright and I pulled it toward me. When it was right in front of me I wished it bigger and it grew to giant size. I pushed the time forward and watched an apple float out of the bowl and stop right in front of my mouth. Then I took a bite. For fun I ran it backward and unbit the apple.”

“John, what are you doing?”

“I’m watching you eat an apple.”

“Can you taste it?”

“No, I’m just watching it and running the time backwards for fun.”

“John, I can’t do that.”

“Hm. Nopony told me I couldn’t so I just treated it like Terran tech and it worked.”

“We will have to see if you can teach me that later. Right now, see if you can enter the memory. You should be able to touch it and experience it fully.”

I stepped into it and became Twilight. The pony sensations are slightly different but I am used to them. The wings are a new twist. But the big difference is how everything looks. When I look at the bowl it opens to reveal all of the fruit in it. I select an apple and see it’s whole being. I will it to rise out of the bowl and come toward me. I stop it in front of me then I reach out and take a bite. It is sweet and juicy as I chew. I separate myself from Twilight and step back.

“Damned. That is intense. I see what you mean about the magic.”

“You’ve surprised me again. Most rookies need help separating their identity from a memory once they have fully joined it for the first time. Let’s get the final rookie moment out of the way. Just follow me.”

The images flash by until they settle on our bedroom. I’m looking at myself sleeping with my band around me.

“Step into it, John. Experience it and don’t come out until it is done.”

I step in and it hits me like a hammer. That’s my stallion on the pad and I want him right now. I quietly wake the ponies around him and they all understand. They make way for me as I touch him, caress his magnificence. My tail is over my back now and I feel myself twitching and dripping. I’m ready for him but he isn’t ready for me yet. . . . .

I stayed with it until we were satisfied. It was very interesting. I learned some small things from the physical feelings but the big revelation was emotional. The goddess sees me as her god. And she lusts after my strength. That’s what turns Alicorns on, a stallion with strength.

“That is very interesting, Twilight. Now I really need to show some of my memories. The parallels are amazing.”

“That’s the lesson, John. We are all mostly the same on the inside. Though you may have broken the mold. It’s proverbial that stallions always go for the sex first and get caught up in it. I’m sure you’re ready to solo now. Look around. You’ve already experienced my most intimate moment so there’s nothing left to hide. When you’re done just step out the way you came in. If you have any trouble call me. I can’t be far.”

I started with retrieving my gear and fast forwarded from there. There was nothing even slightly suspicious but I learned a lot about how to be a Unicorn. I saved some of those memories for later reference. My favorite part is cuddling with my wings wrapped around my band.

The wings distract me so I look for flying. Oh my. I save more of this. I have got to get some wings. But I’m starting to feel discomfort so I go back to the main floor. I look around and everything looks happy so I want to be back in my own head and I am.

“Wake up Twilight. I hope you don’t need a toilet as bad as I do.”

Then I look around and see Shining and Steel snoozing on chairs they’ve brought in. I ease off the pad and head for the toilet. There’s a small noise in the kitchen. After the toilet, I look and it’s Swift making tea.

I ask, “What time is it?”

“It’s zero four hundred. Welcome back to the world.”

I head back to the bedroom and find everypony still asleep. I kiss Twilight full bore and her eyes pop open.

“Good Morning. The toilet awaits.”

She blinks and slides off in route.

Loudly, “Rise and shine. Zero four hundred. Tea is in the kitchen.”