Equestria Assaulted

A few days after the changeling attack in Canterlot, Sparkchaser awoke smiling. His dreams had treated him well the previous night. He lay in bed, ignoring Celestia's shining sun for a few minutes, reveling in the warmth, both physical and emotional. When he finally rose, he stretched, sighing appreciatively. His typical morning routine remained unchanged, except that he was smiling as he left his quarters for a breakfast in the dining hall.

Unlike dinners, breakfast was a casual affair. While dinner guests were predetermined, any Castle resident was welcome at breakfast. Celestia herself sat at the head of the table, but Cadance and her husband were absent, as were most of Twilight Sparkle's friends. Twilight herself sat at the Princess's right hoof, the pair of them discussing magic. The rainbow-maned pegasus sat at the opposite end of the table, eating quickly, as if she had somewhere to be. By the time Sparkchaser had sat down, two seats to Celestia's left, Rainbow Dash had flown out of the dining hall.

Curious about the two mares' conversation, Sparkchaser requested a breakfast tea and a platter of fruits and grains from a waiter, then turned and eavesdropped.

“But Princess, isn't it more practical to use precise visualisation?” Twilight's mouth was open, somewhat dumbfoundedly.

“Twilight, my student,” Celestia smiled at the purple unicorn, “I would think after two years studying friendship's magic, you would understand that magic is most heavily tied to emotions. Yes, precision can help control your spellcasting, but if you control your magic so harshly that you are emotionless, you won't be able to do much of anything.” The younger mare nodded, her face eager. “If you want to protect your friends, your protective emotions and love for your friends will make your shields far stronger. If you are trying to clean your house, let your irritation at its unclean state drive you to clean it.”

Twilight smiled at her mentor appreciatively. “Thank you, Princess.” Celestia opened her mouth, intending on refuting Twilight's thanks friendlily, but she was cut off.

“Princess Celestia, what if one wishes to catch an opponent off guard, or escape a dangerous scenario, or perhaps remove an offending object from existence?” Sparkchaser's eyes lit up as the stallion rambled. Celestia looked at him, seeming slightly shocked.

“I don't wish to imagine why one would have an opponent in the first place, but if you found yourself needing to defend yourself magically, channel the fear for your life and the determination to defeat your opponent without harming them. Fear is also your chosen tool for escaping a dangerous situation. As for an offending object... Sparkchaser, you know as well as I that anger, disgust, and hatred only lead to bad places. Magic is not a weapon or a tool. If you truly wish to remove an object from your sight, please just pick it up and put it somewhere else.” Celestia whinnied, making her disapproval clear. “I apologize for being brusque with you, Sparkchaser.” Sparkchaser nodded, understanding. Celestia smiled at him, somewhat expectant.

“I'm sorry I brought it up, Princess. Thank you for your wise counsel.” Sparkchaser stood up, levitating his tea behind him, leaving his food untouched. Twilight stared after him, indignant, then turned to Celestia.

“Twilight, he's always been like that. He's been afraid of the world and of other ponies since foalhood. Do you remember how nervous he was the few times I tried to teach you two together?” Twilight responded to the white Princess's question with a nod. The sun goddess continued, “do you ever remember him in an actual classroom? I know that you didn't spend too much time in group classes , but do you remember him talking at all?” Twilight shook her head.

“But, Princess, why? Even I was never that alienated.” Twilight looked at Celestia, her eyes wide with concern. “I mean, I was never friends with him, but I was kind to him. It seemed like most ponies were very polite to him.” Celestia sighed and stood up.

“Come with my, my student. This is a conversation that I would prefer to have behind closed doors.” Celestia left the room, her lavender student following on her hooves.

Sparkchaser wandered the Castle, avoiding the sections frequented by the incessant visitors. Eventually, he ended up outside, in a small, grassy courtyard. He crouched, putting his weight on his rear hooves, closing his eyes, bending his hindlegs sideways, balancing awkwardly. This stretch was a difficult one, but the slight discomfort of his muscles' protest had always made it easier to marshal his thoughts. He sat, thinking.

Celestia was right. Luna would have been just as dissapointed in me. I let a pathetic, foalish question slip out because I was excited. Stay in control, you stupid colt. The dark blue stallion breathed deeply, berating himself mentally for a few moments more. It's been months since I've made a stupid, foalish request like that. What came over you, huh? He remembered the previous night's dream, forgotten to his conscious mind for the entire morning. Comprehension dawned on him. I will not let myself be controlled by such wishful thinking! With his resolution, he levitated himself, meditating, focusing his excess mental energy on displays of powerful magic.

The Princess of the Day led Twilight Sparkle to her own private chambers, a comfortable, expansive room. Half of the walls were covered entirely in tall bookshelves. A large fireplace and clear glass windows covered the remainder of the room's perimeter. Celestia sat down in a large, cushioned chair, indicating a chair for her student. As Twilight sat down, Celestia began her tale.

“Sparkchaser was an awkward foal. His parents were wealthy residents of Marechester, and they sent him to Canterlot when he was very young. His magical talent is almost as incredible as yours, but he was far more precocious. His parents asked me to raise him here, in the Castle. They were both Earth Ponies, and having a infant, astoundingly magical unicorn destroy their house once was enough. I obliged, and I regret it. I was unable to give him full attention as a student, and so his intellect and talent progressed while his friendship did not. His magic didn't seem particularly hindered by this, and he connected fairly well with his teachers. He was the youngest pony in every class, and he withdrew from his peers. It wasn't until Luna returned that I realized just how wrong this colt's life was. For years, I though Sparkchaser was a tragic prodigy, the cliché you find in filly's tales, come to life. After Luna began teaching him, we spoke about him. He isn't particularly happy without friends, but he is so afraid that any friends he makes will abandon him that he prefers to maintain a cold, distant appearance. As the years of my sister's teaching went on, he seemed to open up to her, and they became friends. Luna is the only pony he has learned to trust, and although he tends to take my advice and recommendations to heart, he usually asks Luna about anything I say. Luna has done her best to teach him to open up, but I think he needs a bit more attention. With her gone, he may become even more introverted.” Celestia looked at Twilight, whose mouth was open by a hair's width, in shock. “Twilight, I won't ask anything of you except to be cordial to him.”

Twilight shook her head. “Princess, I would be... Happy to do more than that.” Celestia looked at Twilight, cocking her head.

“Twilight, please don't feel obligated to try and he-”

“I don't! I want to! I want to because you told me the story, and I don't see how anypony could sit by and let somepony else waste away their life as a complete introvert. You didn't let me waste mine, and I'm passing on the favor!” Twilight huffed, looking into her teacher's eyes, determined. Celestia did not seem particularly surprised. The princess nodded, her eyes closed thoughtfully.

“There was something else Luna told me that you might find helpful when you talk to him. It seems he knows, deep down, that he's wasting his life. Apparently, one night, after having gone without sleep for more than a day, he burst into tears while staring out a window at Equestria. He said something along the lines of “I'll never be able to get to know all of the ponies I'm seeing in the dark, no matter how hard I try.”. Perhaps it would be good for him to get to know at least one of those ponies. I want to thank you, my student, for...” Princess Celestia trailed off as she opened her eyes, seeing that her faithful student had galloped out of the room.

Twilight rushed through the Castle, towards the eastern wing, which she vaguely remembered as the location of Sparkchaser's suite. Her gallop slowed to a quiet canter as she thought. Her urgency was rather unneccesary, but it did bother her that the young stallion was so isolated. Still, her frantic gallop could startle him. Twilight's thoughts flustered her and she stopped entirely, standing in the empty hallway. She began to pace, habitually crossing the hallway's length as she worked out what to say to Sparkchaser. After a few minutes had past, the lavender mare was still clueless. She thought back to her own “friendship initiation”. Twilight herself had been forced to make friends by circumstance. At this point, that didn't seem an option, and, according to the Princess, Sparkchaser's case was much, much worse than Twilight's had been.

Twilight frowned. Celestia forcing Sparkchaser to try and make friends would go about as well as it had for Twilight. Twilight shuddered as she remembered her own response. She had blatantly ignored the Princess's orders, and nearly cost all Equestria in the process. Still, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie had imprinted themselves on her heart, creating permanent ties that transcended even the most powerful magic. Twilight just had to find a way to imprint herself on Sparkchaser's heart, to pull the introverted colt into her circle of friends. Twilight pushed her face into her forehooves, groaning, and slumped against the wall. “Maybe Celestia was right in telling me I didn't have to do this...” She shook her head. No. I won't give up. Celestia managed to make a friendmaker out of me. I owe it to her to make one out of Sparkchaser! The lavender mare stood up, trotting towards Sparkchaser's suite at a slow but determined pace.

She knocked at his door a few moments later, but there was no answer. She rolled her eyes, having mustered tremendous courage for naught. Deciding to look for him, rather than wait by his door, Twilight trotted off. Without warning, the mare toppled to the floor, a gust of wind having blown a window open right as she passed it. She looked up, rubbing her temple sorely. Every window between her and the next corner had been thrown open. She grumbled, half-expecting Rainbow Dash to stick her head in and apologize. She stood up, looking out the windows, down at a courtyard. Her eyes widened.

Floating above the grass, his eyes closed and brow furrowed tightly, was Sparkchaser. Flame and magical sparks danced around him, and the air around him was whipping wildly. Twilight was shocked. This wasn't magic as she knew it. This was wild, uncontrolled, and raw. She had seen this before, in unicorn foals when they were upset or hurt, but not on this scale. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She could feel his magic, and the emptiness radiating from it. She felt a burning sensation in her horn, snapping her eyes open in surprise. The stallion was dampening magic, making it almost impossible for anypony else to use their magic. Twilight looked on in shock, in tears. Celestia hadn't been exaggerating; there was something very wrong with somepony capable of this.

Twilight rushed to the staircase at the end of the hall, almost tripping when she reached its threshold. She galloped down the stairs, taking them three at a time. Her loud hoofsteps were drowned out by the whirlwind outside as Sparkchaser slipped further from control. Twilight stood on the grass, the spongy earth sinking a little beneath her hooves. The mare took a deep breath, swallowed her fear, and closed her eyes again. She felt her heart, her magic, her friends, and pushed it out, through her horn, pushing it into the torrent of magic above her. She was flying blind, unsure of what to do, but she had an instinct, and that was enough for a moment's crisis.

She felt herself slip into the vortex, her heart and soul and magic were one and the same, and they were slowly forcing themselves into Sparkchaser's own magic.

SPARKCHASER!! The mare screamed in her mind, her magic conveying her thoughts to the stallion.

T- Twilight Sparkle? Wh- How are you..? Sparkchaser trailed off, confused.

Sparkchaser, are you ok? Your magic is out of control, if you don't stop soon, you'll hurt somepony! She gulped, knowing that she would be that pony.

Out of control? Twilight, this is control. I know exactly what's happening. Nopony will get hurt, I promise you. Sparkchaser's mental voice was cold, monotonous, completely different from his initial surprise.

Sparkchaser, what in Celestia's name are you doing? Twilight was frantic.

Meditating. Keeping emotion from influencing my magic or my thoughts. Sparkchaser said this simply, but Twilight was shocked. The mare racked her brain, trying to remember what she read about the effects of “cold magic”.

“A unicorn using cold magic is cutting himself off from harmony and friendship entirely. Magic, as unicorns know it, comes from our bonds with our friends and family. Where, then, does this emotionless magic come from? If not from harmony and friendship, then from the very opposite; Discord, chaos and disharmony. Any unicorn who tries to purge their magic of emotion will find it beyond their control, usually completely ineffective. Rarely, a unicorn can manage to make use of this disharmonious magic, which will cause pain and discomfort to ponies around them and eventually slip beyond their control, destroying them in the process.” Twilight whispered the passage, terrified.

Out of ideas, she poked at Sparkchaser's mind with her own. The landscape of their magic filled her eyes, and with every slight prod at him, the stallion's monochromatic magic was replaced with a spiraling blue and red pattern, intermixed with her own magenta energies. Twilight felt relief from the stallion as she forced warmth into him, pouring her heart into him, taking control of his magic and bringing harmony to it. Far too late for her to react to it, Twilight felt a tug at her heart. Sparkchaser had felt her warmth and was pulling at her magic with his mind, like a child crying out for attention. The pair of them collapsed into unconsciousness.

Twilight felt herself wake up, she felt her eyes open, but everything was black. She took steps, she reached out with her magic, she stamped her hoof impatiently, but the darkness refused to yield.

“Twilight?” Sparkchaser's voice sounded like a beacon, and Twilight followed it. She bumped into him, hard, falling down.

“Ow!” The pair of them reacted simultaneously, each rubbing their faces. Twilight stood back up, wobbling, the surrounding darkness making it hard to move with confidence.

“Um... The ground doesn't exactly feel like grass. Or stone. Or much of anything, really.” Sparkchaser was right. It felt like they were standing on something solid yet intangible.

“That's interesting.” Twilight put it out of her mind. She was more concerned with returning to Celestia, Sparkchaser in hoof.

“What did you do to us, you freakish mare?” Twilight stepped back, offended.

“What did I do? I saved both of our lives, mister CHAOS MAGIC!”

Sparkchaser stammered, confused. “What do you mean?” Twilight sat down, looking in the direction of the colt's voice.

“Sparkchaser, where does magic come from?” Twilight slipped into a lecture, the position of 'educator' making her feel more confident.

“From within. From oneself. Just like Luna told me.” Twilight nearly fell over when she heard this.

“Ju-wha? Luna told you what?”

“I believe her exact words,” Sparkchaser said, delicately, “were 'Sparkchaser, always remember, magic isn't a tool or a weapon. It's a part of you, a part of who you are.'”

Twilight buried her face into her hoof, groaning. “Sparkchaser, that isn't what she meant... I remember Celestia giving me that speech, too, I guess I never thought it could be taken that way... Even when I avoided other ponies, I had Celestia, my parents, and Spike, my baby dragon. I had people I cared about, people to draw magic from. Magic comes from your bonds with people, from your friendships. I didn't know this at the time, but I never... Sparkchaser, what happened to you? Your not even just antisocial, you're downright paranoid. Do you trust ANYPONY?” Twilight huffed.

“Yes. I trust Princess Luna as my teacher, and Princess Celestia as my ruler.” Sparkchaser's voice was confused.

“And everypony else?”

“I can't control their actions,” the stallion said evenly, “nor can I rely on their benevolence.”

“Sparkchaser, you nearly killed us both. Cutting your magic off from your emotions completely will deteriorate your control until you end up destroying yourself and everything around you.” Sparkchaser snorted at the mare.

“Look, Sparkle, I've been meditating emotionless-ly, opening myself up to the influence of Discord, for years.” His sarcasm stung. Twilight could sense him walking away. She stood up.

“Wait.”

“For?”

“I.. I don't know.... Sparkchaser, I want to be your friend...” Twilight stuttered, suddenly nervous.

“Huh? You interrupt my meditation, get me stuck in this strange void, and then ask for my friendship? You don't make any sense, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Sparkchaser... Celestia told me about your foalhood, and-”

“Save it for a pony who cares.” The stallion cut her off, walking away. “So I don't have any friends. Alright, if you must have it your way, I'll let my friendship with Luna be a source for magic. But that's all you get, Sparkle.”

A moment later, Sparkchaser felt her tackle him, and batted at the air behind him with his tail defensively. “What the buck was that fo-” His question was interupted by a soft hoof over his mouth.

“Shut up and let me talk, then you can go, if you want,” Twilight said, and she felt him nod. “Alright. Celestia told me about your foalhood, and implied that you needed friends, but explicitly told me I didn't have to do anything except be polite to you. I know from experience how pointless friendship can seem, so I...” Dammit, Twilight, don't lie to yourself or him anymore!

“So you...?” Sparkchaser inquired, causing her to press her hoof harder against his mouth.

“Sparkchaser... I wanted to be your friend because I knew how convenient friendlessness felt but how much better have a friend felt but also because... I've kinda had a crush on you since I was a filly and... I had some ulterior motive, alright?” Under her hoof, Sparkchaser's mouth slowly shifted into a soft smile, then into a vacant expression.

“Alright. Good for you.” Twilight was crushed by his cold comment. She backed away, letting him stand. “Twilight, if you really are right about magic... Thank you for saving my life. You'd better follow me. I don't know how we can get out of... Wherever the buck we are, but if one of us finds a way out...” Sparkchaser's pregnant pause, for some reason, made the purple unicorn's heart flutter. “Buck it, Twi....” She felt his foreleg wrap around her own, felt her face heat up, then realized her eyes were shut. She opened them, closing them again as the light stung them.

Wait, light! I can see! Twilight opened her eyes wide, ignoring the pain as she looked around. She was standing next to Sparkchaser, their hooves linked, in the middle of the courtyard. He was blushing brilliantly, his cheeks nearly matching his scarlet mane. “Um, Sparkchaser?” The stallion opened his eyes, stumbling back. Her heart fell a little as his hoof left hers, but she giggled at his tumble. “What happened?”

“Quite plainly, I called your bluff. You lied, and so I- I did too.” He smiled, smug.

“Huh?” Twilight looked at him, confused.

Sparkchaser stood up, grinning like a foal. “Figure it out, Sparkle.” The unicorn looked at him, irritated that he called her Sparkle, but endeared at the same time.

Why is this colt so damned... Irresistible? He's a bucking jerk, but there's something about him... The mare shook her head, envisioning a bucket of water being poured over her head, forcing herself to focus on the conversation at hand. “You lied to... Me? You... Buck, I don't even care!” Twilight stuttered, confused by the perplexing stallion.

Twilight Sparkle sighed. If there's any way to make friends with him... If there's any way to break the ice I just poured nearly-freezing water on... And face it, Twilight, you kinda think he's an alright piece of flank, even if his sociability could use a bit of improving. Twilight looked at the blue stallion. “Sparkchaser, would you like to go to dinner tomorrow?”

Sparkchaser froze for a moment. Twilight... Huh? He carefully tried to analyse every potential benefit and detriment to saying yes, but something interrupted him. Luna's voice echoed in his mind. He took a deep breath. Well, Sparkchaser? Why not? He nodded to Twilight, managing a minuscule smile.

Left with his own thoughts, Sparkchaser sat down. Could I have miscalculated? I.... Well, I guess was wrong about a lack of emotions helping me control my magic, so anything's possible. I guess I assumed that Twilight was smarter than me and followed her lead. You did well enough, Sparkchaser. You didn't let wishful thinking get the better of you, and things turned out better than you could have imagined. Sparkchaser stood up and walked into the Castle. Only a few minutes later, the antisocial colt dropped to his haunches in realization.

“Celestia above... I've got a date.”