When Two Worlds Collide

Epic Ace's POV

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I was ready. I handed my cloak to the alicorn mare who has helped me come this far. Spitfire and I fly up to the cloud right above the stage I start to unwrap the bandages and, as I do, I look down to see Sliver, who was sitting there holding on to my cloak,  her dark blue eyes full of concern as the wind gently blew her mane. I don’t want to worry her too much, but honestly I miss flying so I really want to do this. I thought as I finished unwrapping my wing, which looked a thousand times better than before. I then began to get ready to begin the race, flexing my wings to be sure they were able to be used in flight after not using them for nearly a week. One of the Wonderbolts with a dark blue mane and a light blue coat walked in between us and announced the rules. “Rule one, no physical contact while in the air. This is a fair race and there will be no tolerance to cheating. Rule two, be sure to follow the course. We have arrows set out for every turn so you will know where to go. As for rule three, do not try to drive the other through anything within the course. Other than that, good luck to the both of you.”

He now held up a green flag in his mouth and held it high for all to see. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Spitfire strapping her goggles on and getting in the ready position. I set my hooves down and leaned forward, anticipating the flag to drop. It wasn't long until he dropped the flag, allowing to to float down just barely before I bolted out of the cloud, sending it in a number of turns. As I did so, I had a quick sharp pain ping through the wounded wing, which made the bright yellow pegasus flash by me in the beginning. I grit my teeth and just a small black electrical spark came out of my fur as I pushed through the pain, slowly catching up to Spitfire, the yellow and orange maned pegasus flapping her feathered wings frantically. There was a hard right that lead right into the trees of the forest, and as I swerve left and right, dodging the green blurs, I managed to swoop under a low branch, dodging it from hitting me in my face. Soon after I lift out of the forest, I see that I am now dead even with the Wonderbolt captain. We are now rushing towards the sky and the pain of my wing getting ever so great and nearly unbearable for much longer but I will not let it give out. I close my eyes as we climb above the clouds. When we do pass the mass amounts of them, I feel this huge power surge through my body. I open my eyes and see that I was covered in electrical static that some of the clouds gave off.

I flipped my body over now, the drop to the finish line now approaching quickly. My stomach was towards the sky and soon enough, my face was looking down at the cloud which Spitfire had already flown through and was heading down to the finish line. I closed my eyes and let my wings close tightly against my sides and I allow myself to fall to the ground. There was a clash of lighting and then it was covering my body, trailing behind me on my descent to the crowd below at lightning speed. The power at which I fell blew clouds out of the sky and transformed them, turning them from white, fluffy ones to the dark gray, storm ones in moments. I hit the ground at what seemed to be one second and there was a loud boom that filled the air. I was standing with all four hooves planted over the finish line. I was looking down and breathing hard, studying my wing as the throbbing pain once again filled my body.

Slowly I raise my head to see the faces of the ones who look upon me like they just saw something unrealistic, perhaps a ghost of some sort. I had beat her, and she was amazed that I did so but that was not the only reason she had her mouth open in astonishment. I was too mixed up in my own thoughts that I really didn't care that I won. My body had black sparks jolting out around it and I only wanted to get away from all the judging eyes that peered at me. So, in a panic, I ran towards Silver. My head was towards the ground, for which I did not dare to look up at the gray mare, in case she too were judging me. I snatched my cloak from the ground by her and proceeded to run away, only hearing her call after me. Her voice faded into the distance as I ran from it all. I let it happen again, I thought, tears threatening their way from their pockets. I'm being judged again. I just want somepony who will stay by me, no matter what I do. Can't I just be myself? I continued, allowing a few tears to stream down my face as I slip into my cloak.

*   *   *

I looked for a hiding place, and soon came to hide behind one of the concession stands that were empty at the moment. I sat down, wiping the tears of my face with my foreleg, leaving a small trail of tears. I am a fool. I thought negatively to myself, anger and sadness now combining within me. I can’t bare the thought of them judging me because then, they fear me, and begin to push me away from them, I continue, my eyes still having a small tint of red from my previous crying. Call me a freak just because I got some fancy electrical powers, and just shun me for being different. That’s what happened in the last city. I remembered, more tears threatening to escape. I then thought about Silver. The gray mare whom I've come to thank for everything just pushing me away and dusting me off as if I were nothing but a mere speck of meaningless dust. Just the mere thought of Silver doing this to me…it just, I can't even. A tear escapes my eye, the once sky blue eyes of mine had dulled to the sadness within me. I bury my face in my hooves and I pull my hood over my head to cover myself from the world. Soon, my ear twitches as I hear hoof steps that come right to me. I look up to find Silver looking down upon me, her dark blue eyes staring into my own. “Don’t run from me,” she says with an authoritative tone but soothing at the same time.

“Just leave me alone,” I say desperately “I don’t want to be judged again.”

She looks at me confused, her eyes showing nothing but concern. “Why would I judge you?”

“Because I am different from everypony else. A freak, some may say.”

“Oh Ace,” she said as she sat next to me, her warmth seeping through my cloak as she continued, “you’re not a freak. In fact, what you did I thought was just awesome.”

I peered into her ocean blue eyes, and I could feel mine becoming lighter once more, “Really?”

“Yes, of course. You’re my friend, Ace. I can honestly say that I truly am glad that you are. You've helped me become, well, semi-happy once more with the adventures you've brought me on. I don't mind if you're a stallion who stole for a living. Heck, I could careless if I did. Just know that, no matter what happens, I will be here for you.” She embraces me in a hug, which made my heart sputter from the sentence she had spoken to me.

I mutter the word she spoke of softly to myself, “Friend.” I haven’t had friends since I came to the horrid country. I have just lived alone, and survived by myself, fleeing from the Royal Guard for a good ten years or so. Never have I trusted anypony nor anything since the event on which is the reason I came to Equestria. Oh Silver, there is so little that you know about me and the more you do, the more you could end up being harmed, and I don’t want to lose you then. A smile crept upon my face then and I leaned into the hug, her magic enveloping something I had dropped yet again.

"Hey, silly filly, you dropped your necklace again," she smiled, holding it out in front of me.

"Hey! Give that back!" I yelled, tackling her to the ground and pinning her down, my cloak falling off of my head.

She smiled and put it around my neck with her magic, being sure to fully fasten the lock so it didn't fall off again. "Try and be more careful next time," she had said as we both stared into each others eyes for a few moments before she lifted me up with her magic. "And be sure to not be overpowered by an alicorn like myself," she mocked me, moving me through the air like a paper airplane.

"Put me down!" I whined, being unable to spread my wings.

She shook her head and galloped away from my hiding spot with me in her magic, acting like a little filly again. "Pegasus can't fly!" she spoke with a smile on her face as she flapped her wings with ease and flew upwards, dragging me in her magic beside her.

"I can so fly!" I growled, crossing my hooves over my chest.

She smirked, "Show me." With that, the mare let her magic fade from under me and I fell, frantically flapping my wings to fly.

"Okay, I can't!" I admitted before I hit to ground.

I heard the gray alicorn laugh as she enveloped me in her magic, just mere inches from the cement below. "I win, Ace."

"Yeah, yeah, hush. Once my wing is fully healed-"

"Speaking of your wing," her voice drifted off after she interrupted me.

"What about it?"

She smiled and put me down, allowing me to trot next to her on my own. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

My eyes widened and I turned, booking it the other way as the mare chased after me. "Catch me if you can!" I yelled out behind me.

"Trust me," I heard her say and I glanced over my shoulder, not seeing her there anymore. "I will," she finished just as I crashed into her.

"Not fair, you can fly and I can't!" I complained as she pinned me down, a smile appearing on her face as her mane hung over her eyes.

"Boo-hoo. You'll be fine. Now, let's go make sure your wing will be fully functional," she said, enveloping me in her magic once more and trotting in the direction of the Manehattan hospital.

I pouted, my lower lip hanging out as my hooves were crossed over my chest. "Fine."

"Good boy," Silver said, still not allowing me to trot on my own.

"You know," I paused for a moment, "I can walk on my own."

She nods. "I'm aware."

"So, why won't you let me?"

She looks at me, bringing her magic bubble holding me in it closer to her, "Because you will run."

I look at the alicorn mare with wide eyes. How did she know I was thinking that?

"Ace," she began, "we all have secrets we'd rather not tell in fear of being judged and pushed away," she responded to my unspoken question.

"How do you know what I'm thinking?"

Silver simply smiles, flapping her feathered wings and taking flight, staying off the ground now as we approach the hospital. "One day, you will know. Yet, that day isn't today," she says, diving down until she lands safely on the ground in front of the hospital door. She then put me down after walking inside and writing a name down. I caught a glimpse of it and it appeared to say Spade.

Well, at least it isn't Ace and it seems rather fitting, I thought, sitting quietly as I waited for the nurses to examine my wing with Silver right by my side, just as she said she would be.

EDIT:...............A/N: I just recently found a song that fits this chapter rather nicely. Do check it out! Taking Flight ~Silver