“Uhm Ignis, I can stay inside and help Spike organize the library today. You don’t need to force yourself on my behalf.” Twilight nervously offers as we’re walking through the center of Ponyville towards Rarity’s place.

“It’s fine, Twilight. This too is part of my penance.”

“You said that earlier and I’m a bit confused. I can tell you’re definitely not fine though, you keep wincing and rubbing your hip. Why don’t you just fly?”

“I committed a grave sin, young unicorn. I stood up my Goddess. Walking around all day with bruised hips is a merciful punishment for such a grave sin.”

“But why are your hips bruised?” Is she serious? Looking down at the unicorn I see her head tilted with an inquisitive look on her face.

“Because the spirit is willing but the flesh is spongy and bruised, Twilight. If you can’t come to the conclusion of why my hips are bruised after making a very powerful mare angry, then all I can say is that I’ll tell you when you’re older.” There it is. Okay she gets it. I didn’t know ponies could blush with their entire head... Is that healthy?

“I-I-I….I’m sorry for asking.” I just laugh at the flustered mare.

“It’s chill. You enjoying your new spells and shit?”

“It’s definitely fascinating. I was focusing on all the energies in the air and noticed there were wisps of golden energy fluttering between the two of us. I know why they’d go towards me, but why do I send some back?”

“That’s a good question. I’m not sure exactly how it works, but basically my Divinity doesn’t naturally replenish the same way mana does. I can very very slowly replenish it over time through that tiny amount that you saw, but when I interact with prayers and talk to followers the energy seems to just…generate. Orders of magnitude more than just the wisps you saw.” I should look into that more, but at the moment I think I understand it enough to make due.

I’m glad I was reminded about my order with Rarity. I can give myself any appearance of clothes with Alter Form, but it doesn’t feel quite right. I’ll probably still use the ability to just modify the appearance of these clothes once I get them.

Water starts to fall around us and I look up at the sky a bit annoyed. “It was scheduled to rain today, but I thought we still had another hour or so.”

I don’t particularly want to be rained on so I give the vague command to make it stop raining on me.

“Ignis.”

“Yep. I see it.”

“Why is that cloud cotton candy?”

“Well, I think I just figured out why I can’t use runes with my Divinity.” I was wondering what the hell was happening with that particular domain of mine. It all makes sense now.

“Wait, you mean your magic is like Discords?” She stops walking and looks at me with blatant concern. Does she think he’s going to take over me like Daybreaker or something?

“It’s not like Discords, it’s the same. Hope, Fire, and Chaos. I had assumed my Divinity didn’t work with runes because I was just fundamentally misunderstanding it. It had almost all the other properties and functioned the same way as mana, but now it makes sense. All I can do is give my magic a command and let it figure out how it wants to accomplish that on its own. That’s annoying.”

“Inconvenient. I’d hate it if my magic worked like that.” I just shrug and start walking away.

“It is what it is. I’m just pissed because it means I can’t use the Strengthen rune anymore. I loved using that rune to augment my normal spells. If you can figure it out, which I’m sure you can, that rune has different and seemingly random effects on the spells of my world. For Detect Poison I’m fairly certain it extends the duration but not the range. Anyways, it seems like we’re here.”

The bell rings as we enter the boutique and Rarity walks out to greet us. “Ah ha! I was wondering who could be coming in right after opening but it’s you two. Did you want to spend some more time catching up or are you two here as customers? I don’t have too much time to spare though, I’m only open for a couple of hours today since it’s gem day.”

“Nah, I’m here to pick up all the clothes I ordered a while back. After I ascended I don’t technically need clothes, but it feels like I’m naked without actual clothes on. Sorry I’m late picking them up. I know they’ve probably been ready for a bit.”

“Nonsense, I was actually going to ask if you still needed them before I figured out some other use for them. They aren’t going to fit you anymore since you’ve grown at least a foot since you placed the order.” She walks to the back and brings them out folded up in a stack in her telekinesis.

“I can just shrink myself down and then put them on and grow back. When I alter my size it changes my equipment as well, so it should be fine. What’s gem day?” I’m a bit curious what and why she even needs a gem day so I ask while grabbing the clothes from her aura.

“Oh it’s when I take little Spike with me and I use my special talent to find gems. Spike helps me dig them up and then we bring them back here so I can use them for my designs. In return he gets to eat a few. We were supposed to do it a couple of weeks before the Gala, but after the scolding you and Princess Luna gave my friends we decided to have a little outing instead and then it was so chaotic I just never got around to rescheduling it. We’re actually doing it today and tomorrow since we missed that day.”

Dig for gems? The fuck? They just sitting out there in the ground like fucking potatoes? “Alright. You want more help? I mean we’re not really doing anything, and I’m sure Twilight could use the conversation while me and Spike dig.”

“That would speed things along and I do want to spend some more time catching up, but these gem excavations are important to Spike. I think he enjoys helping out and talking with just the two of us. Plus I wouldn’t want the Lunar Knight, Captain of the Night Guard, reduced to digging for gems in a field.”

I’m not going to bother correcting the title cause she seems like the type to freak out over a prince. “Makes sense to me. In that case we’ll let you get back to work, I’m sure you’ve got some orders to knock out before you close up early. Thanks Rarity.”

I turn to leave but Twilight starts speaking so I hang back. “You can go put your clothes back or just hang around if you want Ignis. I was actually hoping to talk to Rarity for a little while, but I don’t wanna bore you to just stand around us and listen to us talk again like I did yesterday.”

“I mean that is literally the job description, but I assume you actually want some privacy so I’ll go put my clothes up and hang around in town near here. Just pray if you need something.” Normally I’d refuse because it is literally the job, but it’s actually good for her to show she’s comfortable on her own even if it is just inside her friend's shop. So I teleport back to the library and drop my clothes off and then teleport back to town, just outside the boutique.

“Ya’ll got lotta nerve showin your face around here!” Applejack? I turn and see the earth pony in a one sided stand off with someone I’ve never seen before. I say one sided because AJ looks like she’s about to barrel through this unicorn who looks unbothered.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie can show her face wherever she pleases! For your information Trixie is just passing through this podunk village on her way to somewhere more important.” Why does that name sound familiar? Oh right there was an Ursa Minor and her name was in the report. If I remember correctly it wasn’t actually her fault though it was a couple of colts. Wonder why she’s got AJ so riled up then. “And what exactly is that creature?”

Oh. I haven’t had one of these interactions in a while. “Elf. Well technically I think I’m an Outsider now, but let’s just say Elf for now. Summer Eldarin High Elf, specifically. I’m guessing you’re….. Trixie?”

“Oh hey there Ignis. Yeah this here is Trixie she’s a traveling performance magician.” I arch an eyebrow at the idea of a magician performing a magic show in this world. With so many unicorns who would watch a magic show? “She does stage magic. Things that look like magic but are just careful movements and illusions. The problem is that she’s a showboater! Actin’ like she’s all better ‘an everypony. And she’s the reason an Ursa Minor rampaged through the town!”

The unicorn seems to gaze at the ground a bit dejected. Or rather, resigned? “My report said the Ursa was due to two colts. Why do you think it was her fault?”

“Cause she told those two colts some lie of a story about how she dealt with an Ursa Major. Thank Celestia the colts only managed to find a Minor.” Thank Celestia indeed. Even as I am now I’d rather not run into another one of those.

“So she came to town, put on a performance, and told some lies? I mean…. That doesn’t really sound too bad. I mean that’s basically just Rainbow Dash without the redeeming qualities.” AJ goes wide eyed at the Rainbow comment and Trixie looks up with a confused face and then a bit hurt at the “lack of redeeming qualities” comment. “Not that you don’t have redeeming qualities, I don’t know you, I’m just saying comparing those three things to the speedster.”

“Maybe you just had to be there. It don’t sound bad but I’m tell yah it was. Most of the town don’t want her here, it ain’t just me!”

“Most of the town didn’t want me here at one point too you know. I think I heard something about a zebra one time too. Listen I’m sure whatever happened was particularly annoying or rude, but I’m just saying in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t sound bad. Why not just let the mare buy her things and go wherever she’s gonna go.”

The earth mare's face contorts like I shoved a lemon in her mouth. “I…. fine.” She turns to Trixie. “Ya’ll ain’t doin a show here though, I promise you that.”

“The great and powerful Trixie is already… well aware that she is not appreciated here. There was no plan to put on a performance.” AJ just mutters something in response and walks off.

“You must’ve been really rude cause I don’t think I’ve ever seen that pony dislike someone so much.” I comment while watching her walk off and when I turn I see the unicorn looking a bit awkward. Eyes off to the side and one foreleg rubbing the other.

“Trixie did use them as stage volunteers to put them down and make herself look better. But, they were heckling the great and powerful Trixie!” Ah. Hecklers do be annoying.

“Sounds like you’re an alright pony then. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I’m surprised you don’t know who I am though, not to brag but I’ve been all over the papers lately.”

“Trixie doesn’t bother reading the papers very often. She’s too busy practicing and traveling. Your name does seem familiar though.”

“Since you seem to enjoy your great and powerful title I might as well give you my full title as well. Ignis Ferrum, future Prince Consort, Lunar Knight, and The Last Bladesinger.” She goes wide eyed and seems to stand a bit more straight. She seems more focused as well.

I gotta be careful, right now this mare is making all of my “I can fix her” alarm bells go off, but I think I’m a bit busy at the moment to bother with something like that. “Well, Trixie appreciates your help. You seemed a bit confused when that redneck mentioned my job. Are you curious about the differences between Trixie's magic and normal unicorn magic? Perhaps I could show you a few of my smaller tricks?”

“Redneck?” I can’t help but laugh at the word. I didn’t think they’d have that word here, but fuck, hearing someone call AJ that is funny. “Yeah sure why not, I’ve got a few minutes to spare.”

“Perrrfect! Follow Trixie right this way, and she’ll show you only her finest magic.”

“Oh I can’t really go anywhere. I’m waiting here for a friend and she’s only going to be a few more minutes.” She looks a bit dejected and the alarm bells start going off again. This mare is dangerous. “How about later? Just after sundown. I’ll be off duty then so I can stop by.”

“The great and powerful Trixie supposes she can clear some time in her very busy schedule. Just after sundown. You’ll want to go to the wagon on the outskirts of town, and don’t be late!” Does she know I was late to meeting up with Luna, and how is she busy if she’s passing through town, not performing, and has no friends here? I guess she just wants to seem important.

I spot Twilight leaving the boutique and walk over. “Productive talk with Rarity?”

“Huh? Oh! Yeah, yeah I guess it was.” She seemed pretty distracted, Rarity must’ve given her something to think about.

“Well? Where to next?”

“We’re going to Fluttershy’s next. She wanted some help collecting some herbs from the Everfree and having someone with telekinesis can help if the plants are in particularly dangerous places. It’ll be even easier with you around since we don’t have to worry about the creatures and beasts in the forest.”

I’m a bit flabbergasted here. “You’re telling me Fluttershy regularly goes into the Everfree?”

“I know it’s a bit surprising but she makes salves and things for treating her animals. There’s herbs in other places but the ones in the Everfree seem particularly potent. Zecora helped her with some recipes as well. You’re fine helping with that right?”

“Yeah of course. Nothing in the Everfree can really bother me at this point.”

Twilight smiles and starts walking towards the Everfree. “Perfect! I was also hoping you could talk to Fluttershy. Rather, she wants to talk to you.”

“What could she wanna talk to me about?”

“You’ll have to ask her. I didn’t really dig into it.”

We walk the rest of the way to the cottage in relative silence, and a few seconds after Twilight knocks on the door Fluttershy steps out with some saddlebags, but without a saddle. “Hey there Twilight and, uhm, Ignis. You two ready to go? Hopefully this doesn’t take too long, but there is one rarer plant specifically that I’m hoping we find along the way.”

“Which one? I might’ve read about it at some point.” Twilight asks while we’re walking and I’m just hanging back behind the two. More on guard now as we go through the treeline and into the Everfree.

“The Gorgon Lily. I had a critter get brought in that apparently had a run in with a cockatrice and I need that flower to undo the petrification. The only other way is to get the creature to turn them back, but oh… I’d rather not do something so risky. I know it’s in this forest somewhere, but not really sure where. Here’s what it looks like.”

With practiced smoothness she somehow grabs a book out of the bag with her wing and after stopping for a second to flip through the book she shows a picture of the flower and it’s a gray lily with a snake popping out of the middle with its mouth open. Apparently it’s a defense mechanism to keep it from being eaten.

“Alright I’ll keep an eye out for it too.” With my enhanced senses it shouldn’t be too difficult.

She shows me and Twilight some other specific herbs she’s looking for and we start roaming around.

“Ignis why did you hurt that dragon so much back then? The one that was napping.” I turn and look at Fluttershy who isn’t even looking at me as she takes a plant from the ground. I guess this is what she wanted to talk about.

“Because he wasn’t listening to reason and he insulted Luna. I wasn’t going to kill him. That last attack I never landed wasn’t going to kill him. At least I’m fairly certain he could take it.”

“But are those really good enough reasons to have shed all that blood and inflict all that pain? Did it make you feel better?” She doesn’t sound condescending or sarcastic, she’s pretty genuine.

“A little, yeah.” She looks shocked and hurt. “Seeing him in pain made me feel satisfied after what he did. Why are you talking to me about this though? Celestia is the one that deep six’d his ass.”

“Well that dragon isn’t entirely the point. Between that and when we interacted at the Ponyville Refugee camp and everything I saw from you in Canterlot during the final confrontation, I noticed that you’re deteriorating. Believe it or not but when we first met, the night we saved Luna, you were actually quite bright and jovial. You had this aura of a younger creature, not quite foal-like but a little older. Everytime I see you since then you’ve become darker and darker. The entire time we were talking with Twilight at the library yesterday you were just staring at the wall with what seemed like a bittersweet expression. It’s like you were somewhat happy with what was going on around you, but you seem so sure that it’s all going to go wrong.”

“Yeah Fluttershy people have darker views of the world when bad things happen to them. What’s your point?” I managed to hide the short tone that was about to be in my voice. I don’t like being preached to like this.

“Aren’t you tired? Isn’t it exhausting waiting on a disaster that might never come? Like yesterday, why didn’t you try to sit down with all of us in the library? You can make friends too, you know. You seem so tired spiritually. You keep anypony you’re not friends with a hoofs length away, always expect the worst, and are so quick to resort to violence. All of that must weigh on you alot.”

“I’m here to guard Twilight, not make friends. I need to expect the worst so I can properly react to the worst. I’m quick to resort to violence because most of the time it’s the only thing that’ll work. I can’t talk to the dragons, I’m at war with them. I couldn’t talk to Discord, the guy was a psycho. For someone who lives in a quiet town and hangs out with her animals all day you can afford to have your idealist mindset. As much as I wish I could have that mindset too, I can’t. Not with how things are right now. So, thanks for looking out for me, but-”

“Ignis don’t step the-... oh no. That’s Poison Joke! We’ll have to go by Zecora’s and get an antidote.” She tried to warn me, but it was too late and I stepped into these blue flowers.

“We don’t need an antidote, Fluttershy. I’m a God, I doubt a flower is going to do anything to me.” She looks skeptical. “Is the plant lethal?”

“Oh heavens no, it’s just inconvenient. It made Applejack tiny, and made me have a deep voice. It also took away Twilight's magic. It has a seemingly random effect on anypony that touches it.”

“Then yeah we’re not detouring for an antidote. If it somehow changes me we can just go get an antidote at that point.”

“If you’re sure…. But back to our conversation. I’m not saying you need to do a complete 180 on your mindset. I just think you should change a little. Try to be more positive, and even if you don’t think anything else will work you should at least try something before violence.”

“Pft. Yeah I’ll get right on that.” The mare’s face falls at me completely disregarding her advice. Suddenly she takes a deep breath and seems more determined and…. Music starts to play? Oh dear God not a Heartsong.

She picks up some more herbs and then lifts a normal daisy up and walks up to put it in my hand. “You can relax, my friend.”

“Huh?”

“I can tell you’re getting more tense, so do yourself a service and try to relax, my friend.” Twilight is just watching this exchange with a soft smile.

“I’m fine, Fluttershy.”

Suddenly the pegasus flies up and grabs me by the hand with her forehoof and tries to pull me along. I decide to indulge her naivete. She’s leading us towards a river. “Think of all that we have been through, we’ll survive what we get into. So you can relax my friend.”

I let go of her hoof and scoff. This is stupid. She grabs my hand again and continues. “I know that you’re tired of the war and bloodshed.”

That line kinda proverbially throws me on my ass, and I end up following her again as we get very close to the river. “Tell me, is this how you’re supposed to live?”

I can tell my face has a pained expression in response to her question. It looks like she's about to dump me in the river when some giant part of a serpent rises out of the water under my feet. I instantly tense up again and grab the hilt of my sword. Suddenly, it waves to Fluttershy and then to Twilight who jumps on to join me and Fluttershy on its back. “Look at how you grip your sword, enough said.”

I guess this thing is friendly… it starts carrying us down the river. “Why should we take when we could give?”

The serpent stops every now and then and the two mares take the opportunity to collect some herbs before jumping back on. “You could show a creature that you trust them if you stop and lower your guard.”

The next time it stops I’m once again given a tug on my hand and join them in jumping off the serpent who waves and submerges as we walk away. “Here we have a chance for some adjustment!”

A manticore ambushes us as we’re walking and I pull my hand away from Fluttershy to grab my sword and start to jump forward. Until Fluttershy just zips right past me and gives it a……hug? “Give it a try, it’s not that hard!”

Really? I could’ve talked to the manticore I killed? I can tell I have a cautious and pained expression again as I walk up and hesitantly pet the manticore that then licks me. “I’m telling you…”

She flies up and away and I follow her with my eyes and for some reason the forest seems brighter and the flowers more colorful. “This life is amazing~ when you greet it with open arms.”

She lands and starts running, while looking back at me and Twilight. Suddenly two timberwolves appear. “Whatever we face~ we’ll be fine if we’re leading from the heart!”

She lowers her posture and smiles at the creatures before holding out a hoof. One of them tentatively sniffs her hoof then looks at me and darts back into the foliage. “No matter the place~ we can light up the world~ here’s how to start..”

We reach a clearing and she starts to spin around with her hooves up, as if she’s talking about everything around us. “Greet the world with open arms..”

Twilight passes me and steps up next to Fluttershy with a big smile before gesturing “come here” with her hoof, she sings as well. “Greet the world with open arms.”

I walk forward, each step a bit of hesitation. Right before I get to the center of the clearing I hear a twig snap and instantly snap back to alertness and draw my sword. I realize we’re surrounded by an entire pack of Timberwolves. The two from earlier must’ve alerted them. Fluttershy puts her foreleg on my arm as I hold out my Moonblade ready to attack. “Stay back!” I shout at her so she doesn’t try to approach the monsters again.

“My friend, greet the world with open arms” I look at her like she’s insane and notice some of the wolves have come a couple steps closer.

“We’re only here for herbs…” Fuck it, I try to tell the timberwolves why we’re here. Maybe that’ll put them at ease? “Fluttershy, we’ve got ponies waiting for us to show our faces.”

The wolves step closer again. “Stay back! I’m warning you.” I turn to Fluttershy and Twilight who are also less confident now and seem a bit scared. “If you two don’t get back safely, I’ll turn this place into blazes.”

Out of nowhere a two timberwolves walk forward with a bunch of herbs on their backs and stop right in front of me. And they….. Wag their wooden stump tail….

“See!”

All of the wolves come up and sit down in between and around all three of us. “This life is amazing~ when you greet it with open arms!”

Fluttershy flies out of the good boy pets and scritches circle and lands to start running. All of the wolves jump up and follow her with me and Twilight also running now. This heartsong is getting to me. I can feel something start to crumble inside me. “Whatever we face~ we’ll be fine if we’re leading from the heart!”

The pegasus runs us straight into a cave with tiny timberwolves. Why am I feeling emotional right now? “No matter the place~ we can light up the world, here’s how to start…”

She picks up a timberwolf puppy and flies up to me holding it outstretched towards me. “Greet the world with open arms…”

I take it and just kinda look at the cute thing staring inquisitively into my eyes. Then I pull it to my chest and cradle it. Fluttershy makes a squee sound and continues. “Greet the world with open arms!”

(A/N: We’re skipping to 2:20 and not using a few lines in the linked video)

Fluttershy flies down to land. The pack that has also entered the cave and they’re all laying around just lounging throughout the cave. The pegasus walks up to one of them. “Timberwolves~ I’d like to show my friend that kindness is brave.”

She looks back to me and points her head at the wolf she’s talking to as if she wants to make sure I’m paying attention. “Could you tell me where there’s a Gorgon Lilly~”

To my surprise I hear a lot of voices answer her, but they’re not out loud. They're in our minds. “The ravine!”

Fluttershy looks really excited and repeats it back almost like she herself doesn’t believe she got an answer. “A ravine?!”

She walks back to me and Twilight before looking at the same wolf she was just talking to. “You’re saying there’s a ravine that holds our lily? And where do we go to find this Gorgon Lily Ravine.”

“North West!” They all respond again.

Fluttershy starts to lead us out of the cave before turning back to the interior and facing the timberwolves. “Thank you!”

“Welcome…”

We run to the north west and sure enough there’s a ravine and growing out of the wall of the ravine about half way down is the Gorgon Lily. I just stare at dumbstruck and think of everything that just happened. I can feel my guard lowering completely. Fluttershy rubs my back a little as if she’s comforting me before continuing in a quieter voice. “This life is amazing~ when you greet it with open arms. I see in your face, there is so much guilt inside your heart.”

She flies down and gets the lily and lands next to me and Twilight. She’s looking up at me with such a pure expression, and I feel my eyes start to well up. “So why not replace it~ and light up the world, here’s how to start. Just greet the world with open arms.”

For some reason it feels like a huge weight is lifting from me as I smile down at her with tears running down my face. “Greet the world with open arms…”

“You can relax, my friend.”

I squat down and sit on the ground. “You guys don’t even have arms!” I laugh at my own comment and the laughter sounds much lighter than it had in the past. Haven’t heard it like this in a while. The two suddenly give me a quick hug from both sides of me while also laughing.

“You don’t look quite as tired now.”I just smile at the comment before standing up after a few minutes. It’s a short walk back to Ponyville, and as soon as we emerge Spike and three of Twilight's other friends run up looking panicked.

“I was helping Rarity find gems, and these three diamond dogs showed up and…. And…..they took her and went into a burrow in the ground!”

Well that is certainly not good.

Author's Note

Our boy needed some more positivity in his life. Homie's in Ponyville and has only made a single friend in two days! His Divinity might prevent mental illness, but it doesn't stop you from becoming bitter and miserable. Which he wasn't yet, but was definitely trending in that direction. It also doesn't help with stress... which is/was the main thing he's dealing with at the moment.

Just to be clear btw, Rarity has not been kidnapped by diamond dogs yet at this point in time in the story. This is her first time getting nabbed, I gave a flimsy excuse in the fic, but eh who cares I aint gotta explain why my timelines different than canon!

Also once again, sorry for taking so long on this one. I just didn't feel like sitting down and cranking out a chapter for a few days. Now that I've had a couple of light weeks only releasing one chapter a week, I think I can start going to back to the every other day or every two days schedule.

Man I hope someone else loves that song as much as I do. Has a special kind of pureness to it that makes me wanna do better, ya know?

Thanks for reading! <3