Harry gazed out the window, the rhythmic chuffing and soft crackling of the locomotive filling the air. The steady motion of the train, the faint scent of steam and metal—it all stirred something deep within him. Nostalgia, warm and bittersweet, settled in his chest like an old friend.

With a quiet sigh, he closed his eyes and took in the crisp morning air. A placid smile graced his lips as he allowed himself a moment of peace.

"Doing good, doc?" Flash Sentry’s voice pulled him back to the present.

Harry turned to the stallion, now able to get a proper look at him thanks to the return of his glasses. Flash had a bright yellow coat of fur and feathered wings, his wild dark blue mane giving him the perpetual appearance of someone who had just rolled out of bed. His blue eyes held a casual, friendly glint, and he wore denim pants paired with a black leather jacket over a simple t-shirt—one that bore the emblem of what Harry could only assume was some kind of sports team. He noted the absence of footwear, though that made sense given that Flash, much like a satyr, had hooves.

"Aye, just reminiscing about old times is all," Harry said, offering his parole officer a small smile.

That was one of the conditions for his release. He was an enigma, a potential danger, and so someone had to keep an eye on him. As luck would have it, that someone happened to be this particular guard—a familiar face, one he had already met. More conveniently, they were both heading to the same destination.

"Reminiscing, huh?" Flash tilted his head before breaking into a grin. "Lady Dash was right—you do sound like an old man!"

Harry merely shrugged. "She’s not wrong. I’m in my thirties. Thirty-five, to be exact."

"Bullshit," Flash shot back instantly. "You don’t look a day past your twenties."

It was an amusing observation, though Harry supposed it made sense. Flash had never seen a ‘hoo-man’ before, but it was obvious to him that the man sitting before him still carried the air of someone in his prime.

Harry simply chuckled, shaking his head. "If you believe so, if you believe so."

Turning his gaze back to the window, he watched as their destination came into view. The town was small but picturesque, its quaint charm standing in stark contrast to the grandiose mountain citadel that loomed in the distance—the capital of this land, Equestria. The two locations were connected by a railway, an old line aptly named ‘The Old Road.’

Fitting, I suppose.

Had he been younger, a teenager perhaps, he would have scoffed at the almost comically cheesy naming conventions he was starting to notice. But then again, wizards—especially those from the British Isles—were hardly any better. If anything, they were worse.

"A few minutes before arrival now. Get ready," Flash instructed as he grabbed his trunk.

Harry nodded, following suit as he gathered his belongings. For better or worse, this place would be his home—at least for the foreseeable future.

Author's Note

This was meant to go with the previous chapter but I just got free to write as I traveling tomorrow

Stand Name: Lil Theory

(Little Theorizing — The Stupendiom)

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(Inspired by "Little Theorizing" — The Stupendium)

User: Sunny Starscout

StatRating
Strength: D (?)
Speed: C (?)
Range: ???
Durability: D (?)
Precision: D (?)
Potential: ???

Stand Ability: "The Growth of Thought"

Lil Theory is an unconventional Stand, offering neither an immediate boon nor a direct hindrance to its user. Instead, it thrives on the user's pursuit of knowledge, feeding on their ideas, speculations, and hypotheses. Its power evolves dynamically based on how close the user gets to uncovering a fundamental Truth.

• The Stand gains strength as an idea progresses from mere speculation to a well-supported hypothesis, and eventually, a full-fledged theory or fact.
• If a hypothesis is refined and proven with irrefutable logic or evidence, the Stand may unlock new abilities reflecting this deeper understanding.
• However, should the user's belief in their theory be shattered beyond doubt, Lil Theory devolves, resetting to its weakest state and forcing the user to start from scratch.

The closer the user is to absolute Truth, the more their Stand aligns with the essence of The World Arcana, symbolizing enlightenment, mastery, and ultimate realization.