Daniel’s next part of his journey was by all accounts peaceful as he was able to roam around safely with little irritation from anything around him. Not even bugs touched him as the mud on his new pony body acted as a deterrent for the bugs that would want to feed on him. He could have done it better by chewing up and spitting out a mist of some plant juice but he wasn't Derin so he wouldn't do that.

For the most part. After all the mud deterring most bugs was a coincidental benefit.

A centipede crawled across the ground where Daniel walked. He recoiled slightly at the creepy crawly “Bleh”. Then he noticed the long bodied multi legged bug crawling toward him.

If the boy really wanted to be rid of any insect or bug he could simply just.

The centipede before him burst into fire, making a high pitched squeal slightly before dying the fire snuffing out just as quickly as it appeared. The only thing remaining of it was a blackened ash effigy of the past insect.

“Hmph” Daniel huffed slightly before he rebegan his sight seeing ventures.

He noted the creeks and rivers and the abundant amount of trees covering this woodland but he really couldn't find anything noteworthy except for the occasional Wood-Wolf. They all seemed to act dumber than the ones from before as they just charged in blindly and did not try a retreat. They all were wood however so they all burned the same. Some stilled immediately while others thrashed more violently seemingly from varying degrees of strength.

Then he saw something odd. The trees and environment of the forest just changed. It was like a clear dividing line separating one section of woodlands from another with no form of gradual change. It was like a clear line of desert to tundra. It was just a sudden expanse of large and dark woods, somehow much darker than the normal gloomy woods he was in. Even with his special eyes he could barely see around only a dozen feet in front of him.

“That is cool, I wonder if there are some treelikes there?” He asked, imagining the old monsters that appeared like odd trees when they stood still on their hind legs. Before something died on its toxic spines and then ate them.

“Meh. Too dreewy- driry- dairy- duwuy.HMMMM” The boy squealed, stomping his hooves before he sighed and focused. ”Dreary” the boy trying to be nonchalant ‘shrugged’ almost tripping before he went back to exploring a hint of anger in his trout “Can't freak out like that.” He reminded himself harshly ”You're better than that. You are a knight of Mud and a god, have some prestige.”

The next place he found was an old dilapidated castle in the middle of a much clear wooded area. It was a gray and broken thing with some odd plants here and there breaking through stone. BUt he could tell from its odd architecture that it was something he should look through.

He walked along noting the decorations filling the halls, there was a painting depicting a large fight between what appeared to be ponies and another side. But the other side of the painting was ripped away. And the other paintings were in a similar state, dilapidated and broken from their past beauty. He opened and rummaged through the rooms.

“Kitchen. Larger than the one I knew.” Daniel noted as he walked through a large cooking room. He rummaged through some cabinets before he sighed “Nothing here.”

“Waste room.” Upon opening a room he saw both a toilet and a bathtub. “Huh, usually the toilet is put into a different room than the bathing tub.” he squinted when he saw a long tube extending up from the tub and ended in a flat circular disc with holes in it “Odd.”

“Guard station.” he grabbed a helmet to put on before he saw a large spider crawl out of it. He surrounded the helmet in fire before dropping it when he knew the spider was dead.

Up some spires and higher into the castle, he stepped over a shattered chandelier and then met a large set of doors. He shoved them before he heard the telltale sound of a metal lock. He burned through the metal lock and shoved the doors. Or tried before he started beating on the door, then he rammed into it.

“Dah!” he cried out as he bounced away from the door. “Grrrrr” he growled before he tried ramming into the door again this time with a large distance to build up speed…

*Slam* the doors went as he then rolled on the ground “Wowowowow” before he stooped with his body upside down. His raised legs gave away to gravity and dropped, he was now flat on his stomach before he raised himself up and shook his head violently to dispel his nausea.

He looked around this new room being far larger than the past ones. “Ballroom.” he commented as he looked at the shattered stained glass windows on the walls and the large chandeliers on the ceiling.

But the thing he took most notice of was in the far end of the room. Up large dirty marble stairs on what appeared to be a circular stage was a set of two thrones. One was made of blackened wood, cushions and backrest were made of dark fabrics to depict a starry night, and the carved wood was adorned with dark but reflective onyx and bright clashing white quartz. And the other was a bright throne made from bleached wood, golden yellow fabrics depicting a burning sun with cascading rays of light, and like the other was adorned in gemstones but in more than a dozen colorful types from white diamonds to orange topaz. And both on the top of the thrones had carved gemstone detailed depictions of a moon on one(with craters) and a sun on the other.

Despite the presence of dirt, dust, rubell, and spider webs both looked practically in perfect condition.

“Throne room.” Daniel corrected as he audibly gulped before he wretched his attention to some doors to the side. He opened both up and found two destroyed rooms that were exposed to the air. Both were decorated to fit both tastes to the thrones . He saw a destroyed bed frame in one “Royal bedroom’s. Destroyed.”

Daniel weighed it in his head before he sighed “Everything is destroyed or in bad condition.” he turned to the sun throne guiltily “Sorry.” he lamented before he walked out of the throne room.

He trotted along the halls humming lightly as he tried to remember the paths needed to get out. “Oh, that's the ballroom” he commented as he saw a large room with many long tables.

Luckily the thing was easy to escape from thanks to the giant holes in the walls on the bottom floor. He also found the front doors if he ever wanted to be polite to the ruined castle.

“Onwards to another potential home!” he cried out as he started to sprint along the forest to find a place to stay.

He immediately tripped on an exposed root as he was still unused to using his body. His indoor trotting was just the level of skill he currently was at, anything else was bad.

Daniel suppressed his angry yelling before he got up from the ground, found the errant root that wronged him, and burned it. He didn't let his fire expand to the rest of the body of the tree or even to other roots. Only the root affected him so he would only punish the root.

“You dont kill a man's entire family for slighting you. You only hurt those who have hurt you, no need to bring anyone else into it.“ Daniel was reminded of the words of his Boss/Leader Max. This was after he was shot with an arrow however so he had to be restrained before he fully destroyed the mansion of a hysteric noble including his staff and family who shot him because of rumors of a ‘demon child dressed in flame.’

Daniel calmed his emotions and started to rhythmically breathe deeply. Then with a final heavy exhale he went back to his usual cheer “ONWARDS!” he screamed, startling some nearby birds with one bird having been startled hard enough to slam into a tree.

The colt walked up to the bird, noticing a crooked wing as it uselessly flapped. Then the bird was engulfed in golden fire which caused the bird to squawk in fear and thrash as Daniel went back to his walk.

The bird stopped her fearful squawking as instead of dying the fire emanated a odd comforting warmth like fall sunlight. Then the bird miraculously felt flesh and bone shift in her wing before she could feel herself being able fly once more.

Daniel walked along the forest with his head held high with confidence.

Eventually Daniel found a large lake. Daniel had fun walking back and forth as he practiced his walks by going backwards.

a cave with a somewhat jagged entrance. Entering it he found the cave was quite large and there was a black tree in the middle of the cave which was within a pool of water aloft a bit of land. It was artistic.

The boy looked around further, liking the sight of various other plants around the cave including vines and shrubs which were exposed to light from what appeared to be 3 holes in the ceiling by the entrance. Otherwise this cave went deep (around the size of multiple homes) but did not seem to connect to any other passage into the earth.

Daniel walked up a slight incline to a spot where he could overlook the cave, it wasn't the tallest spot but it wasn't needed. “This cave is cool enough.” He deduced and nodded his head satisfied with his find.

The colt turned to the entrance of the cave humming with his eyes closed as he started to walk outside. “Now to get m-.”

When he opened his eyes in the forest it was night. “Did I lose track of time?” Daniel asked aloud while he tried to parse through his memories. “I spent a lot of time walking through the woods. Then there was the castle, and then I found here.” Daniel mapped out. “I woke up like middayish?” he asked, then tried to reason things out.

He shook his head after a moment, his brain throbbing “Bah it's probably nothing.” He dismissed “It's the sun, ‘it's so reliable people compare clocks to it after all’.” He quoted his friend, not really knowing the meaning behind his words.

So Daniel turned around and walked back into the now dark cave. As he walked into it he burned his mana. Then with a thought a mass of fire emerged from nowhere which collected into a burning ball the size of a fist.

Daniel looked at it for a moment before he dismissed it. “Nah.” He didn't need to generate light.

The boy covered in drying and shedding mud and black ash walked upwards through the cave until he was at the plateau from earlier. There he laid down or tried too before he had to experiment to find a comfortable position. Then when he finally had it down he started to burn mana at a snail's pace. His body kept itself nice and hot at a blistering 105F despite the chilling night air.

The boy's head rested against the stone ground not complaining as he was already used to this form of sleeping condition. You didn't become a member of a band of mercenaries/knights without getting used to bad sleeping conditions.

Daniels eyes fluttered open to see a burning field. It didnt take long before he saw men, human men numbering 14 wearing foreign armor, were screaming as they ran about burned. They were trying to extinguish the fires on their persons rolling about and acting like headless chickens. They couldn't keep any type of cohesion to themselves to even try and fight.

Daniel could remember this day. He and another member of the Knights were coming back from a minor altercation in the kingdom's territory. Some smugglers kidnapped some woman from a town, and they were returning to report it after saving them. Then they were ambushed. But he didn't know why he was dreaming of this however as this 'fight' was dealt with handily by his fire magic.

"AHHHHH!" A man like his contemporaries was in heavy plate armor interrupted his inner thinking as he screamed incredibly loudly as his armor acted as a soundhound to enhance his yelling.

Daniel remembered this particularly well. The man’s screaming stopped but he didnt still as he fell onto his knees and tried to crawl forward to Daniel. In his surprise he fueled his fire harder and the fire engulfed the man, fully obscuring him briefly.

When the fire stopped the man was dead. But the main thing was the armor. Steel plate was heated so fast under the span of 3 short seconds that it melted like wax. Red hot metal cooled only slightly under his command over heat. It was an odd thing. The metal drooped but still held enough integrity to keep the arm raised.

This memory was fond and important to Daniel; this was how the melted statues began.

A hand patted his head which he realized then was the same as his pony body from the location of and the length of his ears.

Daniel looked up at the source of the petting which was Yurik. The physique boosting man was looking oddly at the melted effigy. “Looks kinda… Good” he said hesitantly but genuine “I think Mace would like it.” he said referencing the local artist Daniel talked with sometimes.

Daniel looked upwards with a smile blossoming on him with small tears in his eyes “Really?” Before his death. Mace was a large and burly man with a dangerous name but he carved out his own destiny by becoming a professional carver instead of a soldier. Daniel liked the man as a close friend. But then he refused to snitch on the Black Mud Knights and was tortured to near death. He rushed over to help but he was already gone.

Yurik smiled, “Yeah. He always liked your weird little statues.”

Daniel even though he knew this was a dream smiled brightly. Mace let him hang around his shop which let him practice some wood carving and they always came out badly. Probably since he refused to use any other wood that wasn't the strongest. But Mace always gave him tips to be better or make sure he didn't break off into large chunks.

Then the fires on the other men who were either collapsed onto the ground from shock and pain or still running about intensified and they too were engulfed.

Again after a few moments they all were dead and turned into melty steel statues. It didn't matter what position they were in while they moved in this dream. They all were reset to the same places as his memories.

Then he raised his hoof ”What are you doing?” Yurik asked curious.

Instead of an spoken answer he instead willed his golden fires to manifest on what used to be the chest plates of the men. The fires were extinguished to show a symbol of a star like those in the night sky, superposed in front of a paint pallet, within a screaming melted skull. It took high amounts of skill to make the image the first time but now was easy as pie. But as this was a dream/memory the image came out wonky, hard to discern, and covered the entire front.

Yurik laughed boisterously as he saw the image and Daniels disappointed look “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! You should keep it simple next time.”

Daniel huffed lightly “Its supposed to be a tribute to me and Mace’s apprenticeship.”

Yurik’s smile stayed “Is that so? I can understand the star and palette but why the skull?”

“Its supposed to be intimidating and show off like revenge y’know?” Daniel tried to explain.

“I don't know, I think the skull a little much. Keep it just you and Mace.” Yurik advised the child.

Daniel did not become contemplative like in reality instead he nodded and spoke resolutely “I will.”

Yurik nodded before he started teasing him again “Also apprenticeship?” he began making Daniel blink as he realized what he said. Daniel never admitted Mace was his teacher. “Isnt it a little improper for a god to be under the teachings of a mortal?” he asked with fake astonishment.

“Its not like that!” he yelped, face turning pink “Mace was close with me so his name being tied in such a way would make people remember him when they learn of me. That's all.” Daniel tried lying.

And while the lie was better than what most kids could make it did not convince Yurik “Sure kid. Sure” he chuckled as he shook his head.

Daniel awoke to sunlight within the cave and he stayed laying down as he silently mourned his friend. He wanted to maybe carve something again .But he then realized that without his human form he couldn't. Then he got up.

Looking around he didn't see any sight of a ‘Task’ as his leader described them. He didn't have an objective to tide himself over with.

“You better showup soon.” Daniel said aloud as he walked out into the morning light. He wanted to see his friends and his ‘rewards’ would surely help him in that.

Daniel looked around before he started comparing the inside of the cave which was mostly barren with the lush albeit gloomy looking woods.

“Maybe I should start a garden?” Daniel wondered aloud. After not hearing any response but the sound of rustling nature he nodded ”I can do that later”.

After another mud and ash bath to keep his complexion Daniel didn't really have much to do.

“I'm bored.” Daniel sat down onto the dirt and started to use his ‘grip’ on the ground and started ripping away the grass and piled it up small.

Daniel tried experimenting with his grip and started trying to climb up a tree. He flowed a small constant stream of energy to his hooves which triggered the spiritual organ. After a moment he realized he really couldn't pull himself up from the ground. But he could trot upwards to jump a small amount to then plant his hooves.

He started sliding a bit before he poured more energy which let him stay suspended on the wall. Daniel smiled slightly remembering an odd show he used to watch back on earth “Spidaman” he said with an odd… New Yankshire accent? Something like that.

“Hm?” While he was clung to the tree, he noticed something else. There was something else that was taking in his mana.

Dropping away from the tree Daniel focused on the flow of his mana. It was a surprise for certain, but he still had pathways and they were still high in number and were of high enough quality to keep up a high output.

He focused on how his mana reacted when he channeled his mana stopping it from his hooves, and he started doing his best Ferik impression.

“Think now young Daniel. You currently possess a set of 4 spiritual organs in your forearms and legs which take mana and burn them for various effects. This is because of your odd and inhuman body which has these mutations. But as you are not currently using these that must mean something else is taking the energy. Something that is in your legs.”

“I see. Yes.” Daniel lifted a hoof before he slammed it into the ground then he did it again this time with mana. When it impacted the ground it made an indent. “Indeed.”

Daniel went to a tree. Then through various positions and poses was able to test his body on it which left dozens of indentations.

“Yep it would appear that your entire musculariturical- Is that the right word?” Daniel wondered aloud as he dropped his impression of Ferik. “Anyhow I can now hit really hard with my muscles now!” Daniel cheered remembering all the teasing and admiring glances at Boss Max before he went to buck the tree pouring a ton of mana into his back legs.

*CRACK* The tree went denting and cracked under immense power *Snap* Daniel fell and tried to get back up but he fell again. Then he wondered what in the world just happened.

Looking backwards Daniel’s face dropped as he saw his back leg bones shattered into what looked like two meaty bags. Bags that were filled with something vaguely hard and solid alongside a very chunky liquid.

It took a moment before he realized his mistake: “I just shattered my legs.” As he said those words a corrosive sensation slowly filled his back half of his body. ”HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Daniel bleated as pain slowly poured over him, tears filling his eyes. He couldn't even try to will his legs to even twitch a muscle. This was likely because he made his legs perform such extreme force that they practically exploded alongside bone under their own force.

Just as quickly the pain seemed to subside slightly from flooding hormones and chemicals like adrenaline.

But it was unneeded especially with someone as experienced in pain and thinking underneath extreme duress. Thankfully he was able to surround his ruined legs in golden fire. And under his command his legs started to repair themselves under his ability.

After a moment to catch his breath Daniel let his fire die down prematurely, he did this to keep himself in some pain. “Damn it Daniel, stop messing up!” He chastised himself “Stop being an idiot!”

After a moment he stood himself back onto shaky hurt legs. As he did so he instinctually flowed mana into his bones which lessened the shaking. He felt dumb, at realizing his mistake. Why would a creature have the ability to increase strength if they couldn't handle it somehow!

“You have increased strength.” Daniel said to himself to calm himself down “Let's go grab our throne.”

And so Daniel spent the rest of the day attempting to drag an enchanted throne back to his cave home. He was admittedly able to disconnect the enchantments on the throne but the size and weight was still difficult to handle even with his newfound strength and durability. He killed a few Wood-Wolves as he looked particularly weak and vulnerable at times.

Author's Note

So yeah sorry if this took a little time had other projects I work on that are nonMLP related.

But yeah, I extended more into Daniels past and showed his abilties more. Also I had him experiment with his body and explore certain locations around the Everfree.

Initially I was going to have it so that Daniel would start hanging out in the cave that the Tree of Harmony is and lounge around in his stolen throne. But I decided against it after a while.

Also what member of the Mane 6 are you most interested in seeing him interact with?

Also Oops should edit some tags real quick