When Two Worlds Collide

Silver Mist's POV

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"Where in the hay did you two go?" Octavia nagged.

"Why'd you leave?" Vinyl questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

"I never got to ask any questions!" Twilight whined, stomping her hooves on the ground.

I sighed, rolling my eyes before stuffing my ears with my hooves, trying to mute them out. Why do I forget such simple tasks and ideas? I thought as the nagging and complaining continued.

"Answer us!" the three mares said in unison.

I flattened my ears against my skull, trying even harder now to get their nagging voices away from my very sensitive ears. I heard Ace mutter, "She just went looking for me. So just calm down."

I sighed. That was a rhetorical question, dummy! Octavia's flattened ears shot straight up, her eyes constricting. "Calm down? Why the hay should I be calm?" She paused for a moment in deep thought as Ace held the face of carelessness. "What did you two do?" she merely growled.

Ace simply sighed, "I already told you,"  I looked back at him, barely catching his glance back at me. You're so stupid. I thought, resisting the urge to facehoof right there.

"Did you touch m-Silver?" she said, getting in his face. He stood there confidently, not to mention care free. He was getting a little irked by the feeling of tenseness within his body. She will kill you Ace, so I advise you to shut your trap! my voice screamed within my own head. Even at her angriest though, Octavia still sounded like she was utilizing polite conversation at tea.

He backed away a little trying not to start anything, his wings and flank touching mine now. At least Vinyl's not- "Did you do anything to Ace?" she asked, sitting in front of me, her trademark glasses were no where in sight. Celestia, give me strength.

"No," I muttered, pulling my hooves from my ears but keeping them flattened to drain out some of Octavia's raging from behind me.

"Are you lying?" Vinyl pushed on.

"Why would I touch Silver?" he countered with a huff. "Do you not trust me?"

I sighed, getting up and brushing passed the white unicorn mare. She bit down hard on my tail and tugged with strength I guess she must have come up with while in the DJ business. In a flash, I turned around, growling angrily. "Let me go," I told her, pausing after each word.

The mare stood her ground, staring at me with those crimson eyes of hers. My eye twitched and I had to bite my tongue to prevent something I would later on regret from coming out of my mouth. "Why?" she said out of the side of her mouth.

"Unless you want a huge magic battle to happen and you end up hurt, I think you'll let me go," I tried to calmly say, my throat becoming quite dry with every tug she made. I'm going to snap, I thought bitterly.

"I'm not done talking-"

Ace's voice picked up in the background, but my full attention was directed at the unicorn currently biting my tail. "Can we just stop this pointless arguing?" he bellowed, the statement clearly not a question.

"I didn't want to talk in the first place. I went to find him and I found him, leave m-" I was cut off as a purple colored bubble formed around me, causing Vinyl's mouth to release my now ruffled tail. "Now what the hay did I do?" I nearly yelled, whipping my head around the stare at the other alicorn in the room who's horn was emitting a soft glow.

She grunted. "Now, can we talk in a civilized manner, please?" she said aloud. I looked around, seeing the other the other three ponies has also been enveloped in a magic bubble.

I sparked my magic and it mixed with hers, forcing her bubble around me to break. I landed sprawled out on the ground, picking myself up off the hardwood floor. "If that's even possible," I dryly commented. "All I did was go look for him and I found him. You, Twilight, of all ponies should be thankful for that because he could have left," I muttered with a tad bit of anger as I sat down, crossing my hooves over my chest.

"I do thank you," she started, lowering the other three close to the ground but now allowing their barriers to break. "I would've liked to know where you two disappeared to anyways. It would have been a lot easier than have Octavia up Ace's rear end and Vinyl's about ready to bite your muzzle off."

Just then, a barrier not too far away from me shattered and moments afterwards, a thud on the floor echoed throughout the quiet home. "Ow," the only stallions voice murmured.

I contained my need to laugh at his mistake as he laid on his side on the pale brown floor. "Well, are we gonna talk or what?" I said aloud.

*   *   *

After the chat we had, it was close to sunset. I sighed, staring at Octavia and Vinyl who were conversing with the alicorn mare. I bit down on Ace's ear and dragged him up the stairs. "Ow ow ow ow! What the hay are you doing? Stop it!" he constantly demanded before I let go, sitting on the bed.

"You wanted to know how I got through life, right?" I asked.

He nodded, climbing on the bed and laying next to me as he rubbed his ear. "Oh...Yes, please."

I sighed and then took a few deep breaths. "Once my father died, I was alone. I couldn't get a job considering the fact I was still a young filly and I had no known relatives. I had to live in the house alone for most of my days. I didn't want to tell anypony though, mostly out of fear. I couldn't leave my home behind. It had everything I needed to know of my family. I didn't want to tell Lemon though, considering the fact he had barely just wed when it happened. I just didn't want to leave my home behind, my memories, my family."

"Are you su-"

"Do you want to know what happened or not?" I asked, cutting Ace off abruptly.

"Yes, but-"

"No buts, you either do or you don't."

With a sigh, he nodded. "Continue then."

I turned around and laid on my side, staring out the window as Luna's moon came into view. "Lemon, being the amazing stallion he is, came to check in on me. He didn't know Dawn passed away, so he just waltzed right into my home. It was a mess, of course, considering the fact I didn't know how to do magic that well besides a few simple spells my father remembered my mother saying. I was a mess as well, clueless on how to do so many simple tasks. I was depressed, very, very depressed. All I did was sulk and grief, not caring what happened to me. I wanted to end it all, really. I could join my parents again, heck, I could see my mother I never really got to know." I stared the at twinkling stars residing high in the sky. "Anyways, Lemon walked in on me to see me bawling over a broken picture frame of my mother. She was wearing her old teenage clothes, standing and smiling at the camera. I couldn't take it anymore. The sadness, the pain in my heart, the loneliness. So, with as much strength I could muster from barely eating, I had a knife to my neck with my own hooves since I could barely spark my magic. Lemon gasped and I looked up, his eyes swelling with tears. I shook my head, only because I couldn't speak."

Ace sat there in silence. I could feel his stare boring into my flesh as I sat there for a few moments, choking back tears. "Silver?"

I waved my hoof and shook my head. I can do this. I'm the daughter of a former Wonderbolt and an amazing mother. "He stared at me for a moment, standing in the doorway as if this was all a dream. I wished it was and I wished I could wake up in my mother's arms with her cooing in my ear, telling me everything would be okay. The white unicorn trotted up to me, enveloping the knife in his own magic and putting it on my desk before he sat down next to me and pulled me into a much needed hug. He sat there, holding me, caressing me, and acting like my father and mother all mixed into one fabulous stallion who I've known since the day I was born. I couldn't hold back more tears I shed into the glorious white coat of his. I tarnished it with my tears, covering it in my horrible filly emotions." I paused, shaking my head and trying to clear my throat of the threatening cracking that would come with further words.

"After what seemed like an eternity, we left my home, taking the keys and locking the door and we left it to stand on its own boards for a few years. To be honest, I couldn't even stand trotting in its radius without sitting down and bursting into tears. Within a few months, Lemon Twist taught me a few spells I could use in my future, like how to lift objects and ponies and such. My father taught me how to fly with the time he had. I knew the basics like the Barrel Roll, Loop-Da-Loop, learning how to recover from a really bad spiral and just flying straight down and back up. I could never, in a thousand years, call Lemon my father though. Sure, he took care of me for most of my life and treated me like his own, but I couldn't."

"Silver." the white pegasus whispered.

"After I had gotten my cutie mark, I was able to play any instrument you could give to me. Piano, drums, guitar, anything really. I could even be a DJ if I wanted. I just didn't want to move afterwards. I was able to get a cutie mark but I wanted to be just like him. Soar through the sky, feel the wind in my mane, pull off tricks and shows for millions of fans, but no. I got this stupid thing in music." I motioned to my cutie mark with nothing but a shrug and an eye roll.

"Silver." Ace said a little louder than before.

"Not now, I'm almost done," I muttered, thinking where I left off. "Anyway, as my life progressed further, I got a job at this factory up in Manehattan and I worked with all the lower class unicorns. We made some toys for the newborns and even the older fillies and colts around Manehattan, sometimes we even shipped some out to Saddle Arabia, Canterlot, and sometimes here. It was rare if we had a large ship, considering the fact some of the foals were put up for adoption because the parents couldn't afford to take care of them. Besides that, I stayed there for a while before Lemon told me to quit because he noticed my health was deteriorating quickly. I had a horrible cough from breathing in all the fumes for several hours from Monday through Friday and I was starting to lose the color of my coat and attaining black splotches along it."

"Silver!" Ace nearly yelled.

"I said hold on!" I yelled back.

"Can't it wait?" he asked, his tone rather impatient.

I groaned. "What is it?"

"Why did you choose to live with him?"

"I didn't have a choice, Ace. I was about to kill myself out of grief. He made me," I told him. "Isn't that obvious?"

He shook his head and waved his hoof. "Sorry I interrupted. You may continue."

I growled. "Thanks for your permission, monsieur."

He smiled and replied with French in his sarcastic tone, "You're welcome, madame."

I nudged him and continued. "As I was saying, he made me quit and start working as a bartender. I was a master at it besides when I first started out. I spilled various drinks on the poor stallion in the process of my training, tainting his coat and making it many various colors that it took more than two showers to get the coloring out. After that though, I returned to the factory once I moved back into my own home, finally able to bare the thought of my parents death and learn how to live on my own. I tidied the house and myself up nearly every day and made sure it looked presentable. In the next few months, since I was still coping with just being on my own, Lemon checked in on me daily, making sure to stick around. His wife, Gin Fizz, was also a bartender, so I guess it worked out. Her and I barely spent time together considering the fact that she worked in Las Pegasus, making it hard for her and Lemon to be seen together. They made it work though and I'm incredibly happy for them."

"When I was about to turn twenty-three, Vinyl stepped hoof on my doorstep and made my song go viral. I gave you your necklace back, and I attained a rather mischievous cello player who's a wonderful friend nonetheless. I know I had some hardships in my life and I'm not saying you haven't, but I would never have made it here if it wasn't for you and your adventurous self. I don't care if you're wanted, I have enjoyed the adventure you've taken me on." I turned to Ace now, who was laying on his side beside me and staring out the window. I leaned against him, nuzzling his neck only to get a small blush out of him. "There will be many more adventures and such to come, right?"

He nodded, nuzzling me back. "Of course, Misty," he smirked as I moved away from him, turning my head in protest as I let my lips curl into a frown. He turned my head back to face him as he slid a hoof under my chin and placed a gentle, lingering kiss on my cheek. "So many more," he whispered in my ear while he pulled away, jumping off the bed and trotting downstairs.

I sat there for a moment, staring at the stars in wonder. I sighed, burying my face in my hooves. I touched my cheek as I picked my head up again, shifting my gaze to Luna's full moon. I can't believe I just told my whole life story to a stallion who probably had it worse than me. Living on the streets... I thought, allowing them to trail off as I rested my chin on my hooves. "Some day, I'll be with them again.  Just not today. It can definitely wait until I am ready to go," I whispered aloud. A few quiet minutes passed and I lay there silently, staring up at the stars. I closed my eyes, imagining my life if I still had my parents. A tear escaped my eye and I wiped it away, smiling ever so slightly.

"Silver, are you still up there, dear?" Octavia's voice floated up the stairs.

"Yeah," I said back, being sure there were no signs of sadness within my voice. Before I knew it, the mare's hoof-steps were echoing throughout the library and ending at the top step. "Hello," I smiled weakly as I turned my head.

She climbed on the bed next to me, laying her head across my back. "I have a question," she immediately said.

"And that would be?" I asked.

"I'm not just going to tell you what it is. You have to guess."

"I don't like guessing games," I told her.

"Silvy, do I look like I care even slightly?" Octavia asked as she copied my position with my chin on my hooves.

Looking at her with my eyebrow raised and a smirk, I nodded. "There's a possibility."

She shook her head. "I don't."

"Damnit," I muttered, still looking at her before softening my expression. "Uh, are you gonna ask me who I like?"

She jerked her head back some in surprise. I love being able to do that! I exclaimed happily in my mind. "Maybe," she replied, turning her head away as I saw a tinge of crimson rise up to her cheeks.

"I see."

She returned her attention back to me, any signs of blushing being relinquished. "So, who do you like?"

I poked her nose. "I'm not just going to tell you."

She groaned, burying her face in the bed. Through the sheets, she muttered, "You can't steal my words!"

I smiled, draping my wing over her. "I just did," I whispered. She scooted closer to me, kissing my nose. I wriggled it like one of those bunnies I've seen hopping around and I heard her giggle as I retracted my wing.

"You can't though, that's not fair!" she whined.

I smiled. "Aren't you cute."

Tavi buried her face in my neck, concealing it from me as her mane tickled my nose ever so slightly. She slid her hoof down my side and over my cutie mark, causing a shiver to course down my spine. "The hay are you doing?" I asked, staring at her now.

She lifted her head and poked my nose now. I shook my head and scrunched my nose up. "It feels weird, huh?" she asked.

I nodded. "Very."

"That's how it feels when you do all the wing-mojo to me. It doesn't exactly tickle my fancy," she murmured, raising her eyebrows and a small smile on her lips.

"You're gonna call it wing-mojo?" I asked, forming a really awkward smile.

She nodded, prodding my side with her hoof. "Do you have a problem with that?"

I shook my head. "Also, why are you poking me?"

"I have no idea actually. I just thought you'd be asking more questions if I did."

"Uh-huh, I see." I unfolded my wing and started poking her back with my wingtips, trying to get her away from my ribs.

"Hey!" she called out, rolling away from me. For somepony who was the most famous cellist in all of Equestria, she's really not that uptight once she's comfortable around you. I quietly remarked, smiling as I heard a thud on the floor.

"Oops. Are you okay?" I asked, looking over the side of the bed and holding a hoof out to help the proper pony up. Instead, I wound up on top of the mare. I blushed hard, as it looked like I had her pinned down. I folded my wings hard against my sides in order to blocking them from jutting out. "I-I'm sorry!" I apologized, staring down at the mare.

She smiled. "It's fine, dear."

"A-are you sure?" I asked. Her hind hooves were up, resting on my flank and I was in between them. This is the second most embarrassing thing I have done since I fell off a cloud in front of the Wonderbolts that one summer! I thought, causing my blush to darken further.

Tavi nodded. "Oh darling, I'm positive."

I could have sworn my head was playing games on me or, she actually leaned up and started licking up my neck. I shook my head and looked down again, only to see the mare staring up at me with curiosity. Yep, my mind has gone crazy! I thought. "I'm gonna get off of you now," I told her, backing up. She sat up, a sly smile on her muzzle, turning my head, I pushed my eyebrows together and stared at her out of the corner of my eye. "Octavia, what are you-" I was cut off as my words caught in my throat, the earth pony placing small, gentle kisses along my neck. I backed up further, trying to find the words to speak.

She smirked, getting up and jumping into bed. "Are you going to sleep on the floor?"

I squeaked when I opened my mouth. I slapped a hoof over it as I crawled into the bed, laying beside the mare. "Y-you're very sneaky," I told her, acquiring a small stutter.

"I'm well aware of this," she whispered, seeming closer than she used to be. I felt her hot breath on my neck and I shivered. Turning my head, she shot up my body, going straight for my sensitive alicorn horn. I swear, I must be drunk or something! Hey, no, don't touch- my mind went blank as the mare slid her small tongue up my horn. Damnit! Stupid ass horn, even if that felt amazing... I silenced my thoughts and turned the rest of my body towards her.

"Are you trying to get me to do something?" I asked. The mare squirmed underneath the blanket and I sighed as she pressed against me.

"I just wanted to see your reaction," she whispered into my chest once she slid back down.

"You got it. Please, don't touch my horn," I told her.

She snickered. "Your reaction was funny though."

I don't care what it was, no pony touches my horn without me knowing! I mean, yeah, they've bumped into it, but they've never sexually done anything do it! My mind screamed. Can you shut up? I told it. "It was?"

The mare nodded slowly and looked up at me, placing a small kiss on my cheek. "I'm sorry."

I shrugged, her warmth spreading throughout my body. "It's whatever, don't let it bother you," I replied, smiling reassuringly. She smiled back, placing her head back on my chest as she fell asleep. "Goodnight, Octavia," I whispered, silencing my own thoughts and putting them to rest as I closed my eyes and joined Octavia in the harmony of a well earned rest.

*   *   *

Morning arrived and the DJ was still out but there was no sign of the other alicorn and pegasus. Wonderful. I get to go on yet another search for that idiot, I thought as Octavia and I left the library to go search for him. We were trotting through the small forest behind Twilight's house once more and I still had no idea where Ace would have trotted off to. I sighed, turning my head frequently from side-to-side and watching the bushes, expecting him to jump out and scare us. "Where in the name of Luna is that idiot?" my tone sounded irritated as I continued glancing at the fixed bushes. It isn't as awkward as I thought it would be, I thought, glancing briefly over at the mare. Thankfully, she hadn't noticed once I cast my gaze to the bushes/

Octavia trotted close to me, our body heat exchanging from our close proximity. "I'm not sure, dear," Octavia began, shaking her head. "Wherever he is, I hope his wing is okay."

I stopped dead in my tracks at the sound of his wing. I shook my head vigorously, nearly losing my footing. "Today's the day he can take the bandages off!" I exclaimed in a panicked tone.

I looked up, seeing a small streak of black lightening flowing through the clear blue sky. Soon after, it was followed by, in a very jubilant tone, "Yeah! I can finally feel the wind in my feathers again!"

I heard a small giggle beside me and I looked curiously over to Octavia. "I found him," she whispered while giggling

I brought my hoof to my face, shaking my head slowly. "I knew he would do that," I started trotting again, slower this time with Octavia close by my side. After a few moments, I looked around again, shaking my head once more. "We lost him again. Stupid," I murmured.

Tavi smiled and nuzzled my neck. "Look at it this way," she began as she continued trotting along the small path, "how would you feel about not being able to fly for more than a week?"

I looked at her and sighed. She's lucky that she's cute. I thought as we continued on our way. "You're right. I'll let him have his fun. For now. But, I swear if he complains his wing hurts, I will sit on his back."

She trotted passed me, sliding her tail underneath my chin, sending short shivers down my spine. "You're adorable," she spoke in a seductive but innocent whisper before moving her tail from under my chin.

I blushed, using my mane to cover my eyes and some of my cheeks. "Hush you," I told her. I heard the trees rustle not too far ahead just as the wind picked up, causing a few leaves to fall down on the path. I caught up with Tavi, bumping my flank into hers purposely. "Where do you think he went?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. I can't fly, remember?"

I facehoofed, leaving my hoof there for a moment before I dropped it back down. "I mean, where do you think a pegasus who can fly again go?"

Octavia smiled before saying in a sarcastic tone, "The sky."

There was an eerie chuckle that seemed to have echoed around us, causing me to look around uncomfortably. I paused for a moment, biting my lower lip. "What was that?" I inquired.

Tavi obviously wasn't up to this as I saw her begin to back away, standing a foot behind me now. "I don't like the sound of that. Silver, we should go," she said in a worried tone.

I stood my ground, keeping my hooves planted in a ready position. "I want to investigate though."

"Silver," she paused, taking my tail in her mouth and giving it a soft tug, "I don't feel so sure about this." The chuckling began to get louder after she said that, causing her to drop my tail after her obvious shaking shot up my body.

Glancing up at the trees, I turned my head to look at her, a reassuring smile on my face. "Just hold on, okay?

The proper pony clearly looked terrified. Her teeth were chattering and I didn't know what else to do. Her tone shook slightly as she spoke, "But I-"

I cut her off, holding my wing up to pause her. "Hold on," I said yet again, approaching the tree of which I heard the chuckling coming from.

I jumped back some as a white stallion hung upside down from the branch, laughing softly. "Surprise!" he yelled out,

I stood there, staring up at him. "What the hay, Ace!" I yelled. The black-maned pony behind me let out a squeal before I heard a soft thud on the grass. I looked behind me, the mare a heap on the grass. "You scared her!" I called, glaring at him with a mixture of seriousness and playfulness.

Ace chuckled softly. "Heh, my bad." He then began panicking, waving his front hooves wildly. "Oh no. No, no, no, no!" he screamed, falling out of the tree and face first onto the ground below.

I laughed softly, looking behind me to be sure Octavia was up and I began walking away. "You're not a bat, Ace," I told the stallion who still had his hind hooves over his head.

"I can dream, can't I?" he said with a smile.

I nodded and pondered the idea. "Perhaps, but you are an odd one indeed."

Octavia, being in her now Canterlot state-of-mind, puffed out her chest and held her muzzle high, walking passed Ace. I heard her say, "I did not faint."

I heard Ace chuckle gently before he replied, "Yeah, you just hugged the grass."

I looked back at the two. I swear if looks could kill, daggers would be shooting from her eyes and into every part of Ace's body. "Shut your muzzle," she told him.

I continued laughing, softly now as I spoke. "Calm down, mares. Let's go."

In an instant, I was rolling around in the short grass with a white blur atop of me before two firm hooves pinned me to the ground. "Now who're you calling a mare?" Ace said with a smirk.

I looked up at him with a smirk of my own. I cocked an eyebrow, my smirk still present. "You," I said simply as I saw the gray earth pony trot ahead of us.

"Oh?" Ace smiled softly. "Getting a little smart now, are we?"

"I'm quite intelligent, indeed I am, but-" I stopped myself before slipping out from under the stallion as his grip loosened. I tackled him down, pinning him on his back with my hooves planted firmly on his shoulders before continuing, "I'm also strategic and quick."

Not far in the distance, I heard the door in the back of Twilight's home open and close, the soft hoofsteps of Octavia silencing as the door closed. Ace's smile widened as he stared up at me, his gaze softening. He gently laughed as he said, "Ain't that funny?"

I nodded with a half-smile. "Indeed it is."

To add to my unfortunate fails, Ace moved his shoulder enough for me to lose balance, causing me to fall against him for a moment before he pushed us both upwards and me back on the ground. I huffed as he placed his hooves much firmer on my shoulders than he did before. "As do I but this time, my dear, I will not leave room for error." At the end of his sentence, he flashed a grin, something most stallions in Equestria do.

My horn emitted a soft glow before sparking slightly as I lifted Ace off of me in a moment, a grin of my own appearing on my muzzle. "Have you forgotten I'm an alicorn?"

He smirked and let out a small spark of static, breaking my barrier and falling onto me with an 'oof' sound. He lifted his head, shaking it gently before looking at me. "You forget I can break your weak magic field," he sighed, noticing his words were a tad harsh before adding, "you should practice more."

"It's half-flanked!" I told him, my lower lip extending outward as I pouted. I straightened myself up, puffing my cheeks out before speaking, releasing the air. "If I used my full magic, I'd hurt us both or teleport us somewhere."

"Oh?" he said in a confused tone, lifting himself off of me effortlessly.

"Just watch," I murmured softly. I shook my head momentarily, knowing I would quickly regret this decision as I sat up. Closing my eyes, I enveloped a bunny in my magic, using my full power and accidentally teleporting him somewhere. I looked up and saw the poor animal dangling from a tree limb by his front paws, an expression of pure horror plastered on his face. "Oops," I whispered.

Ace looked at me with a face of shock before asking, "Why would you hurt a little bunny?" He didn't even bother to wait for my response before he flew to the tree and brought the fluffy white critter back down to safety as he placed it onto the ground as he watched the creature scurry back to the bushes.

I huffed, disappointed in my own magic. "I could have hurt him. That's why my magic tends to be weak enough for you to break the barrier. I could make it stronger with the risk of teleportation," I paused, shaking my head with a short, inaudible sigh. "I didn't have my mother around long enough to teach me how to use it correctly. Anyways," I finished, trying to turn away from the subject of my dead mother.

In an instant, he used his power to flash back to me, a reassuring smile brightening his features as his sky-blue eyes looked deep into mine, searching my soul. "Don't worry," he began as he sat next to me, draping his wing over me and hugging me before continuing, "I never had my father to teach me exactly how to use my powers. What I am doing is just a small fraction of something I have yet to master." He retracted his wing, placing his chin on top of my head for a minute.

I hugged him back with my wing, retracting it after a few moments. He moved in front of me now, watching me with curious eyes. Hanging my head and tearing my gaze away from his and I merely whispered, "At least you can do something with it. All I got is a measly music-streak I barely learned a year ago, teleportation, and a simple barrier to carry objects and ponies in. It can't protect them because of my lack of unicorn knowledge. I wish I could learn more on how to enhance it," I told him, shaking my head but looking up again with a weak smile.

Nodding his head in agreement but still keeping his reassuring smile on his muzzle, he shrugged. "True..." he began, his voice trailing off as he thought for a moment, "but you can do a lot of stuff with your power, which I can't." He lifted himself up with his haunches and started walking back to Twilight's library.

"Maybe we can help each other with our own powers?" I suggested as I caught up with him, watching him as I turned my head. "Or I could ask Twilight to help me. I wonder what she knows."

He suppressed a light chuckle, looking at me from the corner of his eye. "Have you forgotten that she lives in the library? She probably reads books all the time to enhance her own magic, so she's bound to have something to help you." Ace took an unnecessary pause that seemed to drag on forever before he spoke again, this time his tone sounded slightly saddened. "Besides, my powers are different from yours."

"That doesn't mean I can't help," I told him, purposely bumping my flank into his with a small smile. "I want to at least try and understand yours."

Ace chuckled once more, turning to look at me. "You can try. I'm not going to stop you from doing so."

"You try and understand an alicorns powers," I paused, sighing and taking a deep breath before continuing. "I barely can and I am one. I just wish my mom could have taught me before her fate." I opened the door a few more steps ahead of us with my magic, looking down.

Unexpectedly, Ace hugged me once more with his wing, quickly retracting it as we approached the door. "You'll learn more about your powers and self soon enough." He smiled warmly as if trying to convince me I would. "Trust me, I still don't understand myself a lot at times."

I smiled and wing-hugged him back. I mean, how could you not? He's been reassuring me half the time and I swear if it weren't for him, I'd still have that pain-in-the-flank job. Speaking of that job...Did I even quit? I shook my head, completely forgetting if I did or not. "Thank you," I finally told him as we walked through the door.

He nodded his head and leaned against the door frame in front of the white unicorn as I passed her, smiling warmly at the earth pony. She returned my smile and I idly eavesdropped on my friends' conversation.

Ace spoke up after a moment, his nervousness was obvious by his stance."Hey there." I could tell by Ace's tone he wasn't very comfortable, considering the fact every time I looked at him, he avoided eye contact all together.

Vinyl, the same as Ace, obviously wasn't up for the conversation, her replies just a mere whisper or mutter half the time. "Hey."

I shook my head. Their conversation is even more boring than two turtles racing! After a moment, Ace replied, scratching the back of his neck with his hoof. "So, uh, what's up?"

"Nothing much."

"Tavi!" I exclaimed, happier and louder than expected. I slapped a hoof over my mouth, blushing softly. "What'd you mares do?"

She giggled softly before replying. "Oh, nothing, ate."

I heard Vinyl sigh. "I'm sorry about yesterday."

Ace patted her shoulder, barely smiling. "It's fine."

Vinyl nodded. "Alright."

I muted the conversation between Ace and Vinyl out, rolling my eyes. Booorinnng! I turned back to Octavia and dramatically gasped, pretending to take offense. "Without me? How rude!"

Octavia smiled, nuzzling my neck. "I'm sorry."

I shrugged getting up and beginning to rummage through the large collection of books. "What do you want to do?" I asked her, my ears somehow picking up the conversation between the pegasus and unicorn once more.

With a sigh, Ace spoke in an almost inaudible whisper. "I don't tell everything to everypony for a reason."

Again, the unicorn nodded, her two-toned mane not budging as she did so. "I understand. I'm sorry I pestered you and caught an attitude like a Manticore."

I shook my head, trying to figure out what he meant before a spare bed beside me made a rather loud noise, alerting me Tavi had just placed herself upon it. "What are you looking for?" she curiously asked.

"Just a spell book. Twilight has to have one."

Ace laughed softly after Vinyl had gently hoofed his shoulder. "It's all good," he said, looking at me. I quickly turned my head, being sure he didn't notice.

Tavi smirked. "You are in a library," she said in a smart tone.

I huffed, looking at her with little amusement in my eyes. "Don't be a smart flank, Zanger," I told her before flapping my wings gently to fly up to the top shelf.

Being the proper pony she is, she sat up straight and had a look of disgust on her face when I looked down at her again. "Don't use my first name! I hate it! It was supposed to be Octavia Von Clef!"

"I see," I said, half paying attention. "What happened to it then?"

Octavia let out an agitated sigh. "My mother happened to it."

I heard Ace chuckled gently and I looked at him with a small smile as I contained my own laughter. He looked down, shaking his head. Vinyl lifted it up and his eyes were wide with guilt. Did he really do what I think he did? I thought, shaking my head vigorously to extinguish the thought. Octavia looked up at me, a smirk of mischievousness on her muzzle. "Never call me Zanger again, Silvy."

I glared down at her as I felt my body heat up. I let out a deep breath, cooling myself down before I lashed out. "Don't call me that. I hated that nickname. Always have, always will."

Realizing she hit a nerve, she smiled, giggling softly. "It's cute though."

"I don't care what it is, I hate it. End of discussion." I told her, looking back at the books enveloped in my magic. I saw one that caught my eye and quickly put the others back in their designated area. "Found it!" I called out in success as I lowered myself down to the ground and laying beside the earth pony

I continued listening to the others conversation, learning valuable information as I flipped carefully through the book. "The stallion who abducted Octavia called her Zanger," the white pegasus began.

"Yeah, so? I usually call her that to get her in my room faster. What about it?" Vinyl muttered.

Octavia looked at me and then the book. "What is that?"

"It has spells for unicorns."

"Do you know what happened to him? I mean, how I got Octavia out of there?"

Vinyl sighed, looking back at me. "I saw blood on your hooves, that's it. I didn't want to ask but I saw the look Silver gave you. I think she knows but she probably doesn't want to bring it up."

"Well, I was thinking that after you said spells, dear."

"Stop being such a smart flank," I told her before laying down beside her, still reading the book.

I glanced up for a moment and saw Ace look to Octavia, sympathy in his eyes. "She did nothing in my favor but I don't care. Vinyl," he paused, lowering his tone to that of a whisper, "I killed the poor stallion, even if he deserved it."

Vinyl looked over her shoulder at Tavi, a small smile of happiness on her muzzle. "I would've too if he took my Octy," she stopped herself, looking at Ace again. "She's my best friend. Sure, we have our ups and downs, but without her, I'm just another useless musician. Thank you for saving her." she hugged him, throwing her forelegs around his neck tightly, burying her face in his neck.

I directed my attention back to my book, causing Octavia to speak up, some of her accent heavy in her words. "What are you looking for anyways?"

I turned the page. "Anything and everything," I muttered, continuously switching between the book and the two ponies by the open door.

With an eye roll, the mare responded, "Because that totally makes sense."

He stood there for a moment before hugging her back. I swear, that stallion is an odd one. I thought as he spoke up. "You're welcome. There was just something different when I confronted Mystic," he paused, letting out a heavy sigh before putting a fake smile on. "Don't let it be a bother to you though. I'm just glad I was able to attain friends like you." He finished with a sheepish smile, trying to get off the topic. So he did kill him, I thought, glancing up from my book again to look at them.

I couldn't see Vinyl's facial expression, but I could tell her words were forced out, some of them cracking as she dropped back down to the ground, her hooves hit the wood softly. "I'm going to be totally honest with you, Ace. Mostly because I trust you." She paused, her tone still saddened. "I was bullied as a filly. Didn't get my cutie mark for a while, always got made fun of for it. Once I found out who I was, I met Octy. I was happier than a clam." She looked back at her, and as if one cue, a smile that spread from ear-to-ear was now present, a single tear sliding down her cheek. "She's a really great mare once you get used to her type of music and such. I just hope nopony hurts her," she looked directly at me and my heart lurched, causing me to stop breathing for a moment. Why would she look at me? I thought, breathing out after realizing I was holding my breath.

Looking at Octavia, I half-smiled. "Well, what do you want me to say? It teaches a unicorn how to fly?"

"Now you're being a smart flank," she countered.

Even though I had my eyes set on Octavia, I still kept myself tuned into Ace's and Vinyl's pretty interesting conversation. "Ah yes, I know that story. I was a social outcast at my so-called school. I had no friends and nopony wanted to talk to me and that's the reason why I love my family. For a very long time, I never got my cutie mark. As a result, I was the main target for bullies. At times, I tried my very hardest to play along with it, only to be jumped and called various names."

"It sucks, huh?" Vinyl said a little too loud, causing the earth pony and I to look over to them with curious eyes.

"Yes," Ace smiled, "but look at me now. I've dealt with so many problems an encountered many more all on my own and now, I'm here and happy." He looked to Octavia and then myself, his gaze softening.

Vinyl looked at us as well and we all shared a moment of silence as we sat there and silently enjoyed it. The white unicorn smiled widely as she spoke. "I'm happy, too," Vinyl said after a few moments. Ace smiled back as they directed their attention back to each other, the proper pony and I returning to the book and scanning the pages for anything good.

"That was odd," I murmured as I read a few more spells.

"Indeed it was, dear," Octavia agreed as she pointed to a spell with her hoof. "Didn't you say you had to strengthen your barrier?"

"Yeah, but it takes a lot—oh, this might work."

Vinyl piped up. "Should we join them?"

Ace nodded. "Sure."

Vinyl trotted up to us, laying beside Octavia and nuzzling her neck before speaking. "So, fillyfoolers, whatcha lookin' at?"

With a glare and a forced smile, Octavia responded in an agitated tone, "Spells."

"I'ma try and strengthen my barrier," I added.

"Oh boy, spells!" Ace said in an over-enthusiastic tone as he trotted over to us, sitting by me and placing his chin atop of my head. "See, I told you there was something."

I looked up at him from the corner of my eye before returning my attention back to the book. I bit my lip in contemplation. "Well, I'm not using any of you to help it. Where's that dragon?"

Vinyl chuckled. "Sleeping."

I grunted, pushing my eyebrows together. "Of course."

Ace pulled back some and poked my side. "Can't you just use me?"

I shook my head vigorously, my mane falling over my eyes. I moved them away and shook my head once more, staring at the book. "I can't, the risk is too high."

Vinyl looked at me, tilting her head to the side. "I can always go get Spike, y'know. It's not like he hasn't been woken up before and forced to do something."

"I don't see why you want to do it, Ace," Octavia muttered.

Ignoring Octavia's input, he smiled warmly and prodded my side repeatedly with his hoof. "The worse that could happen is I get hurt. Just leave the young dragon to his rest," he paused and stopped poking my side. I was about to hit him over the head if he continued, honestly. "Silver, would you please just trust me on this?"

I shook my head, letting out a large gust of air as I read the spell over a few times. "If you get hurt, I'm taping your wings to your flank for all eternity," I told him with as much seriousness I could muster to put in my tone.

He gave a small laugh and trotted a safe distance away from us. "Have some faith," he said as he faced us once more.

I rolled my eyes, my horn emitting a soft glow as I enveloped the white pegasus and recite the spell. I looked at him with my eyes full of concern. "See if you can break it," I finally said.

"I'll give it a small shock, don't you worry," he said, placing his hoof to the barrier and releasing a small amount of energy.

I snapped my eyes shut as he did but kept my magic going. "Are you free?" I asked as I bit my lip hard, nearly making it bleed.

He was quiet for a moment and whispered, "Surprisingly, no."

I opened one eye slowly, the other soon following as I stared at the magenta bubble still around him. "It worked! Now, how do I do this naturally without the spell..." my voice trailed off and I lost concentration, hearing a thud on the floor nearly seconds afterwards.

"Ow!" A familiar stallion's voice yelped.

I looked up to see Ace face-first on the floor, his flank in the air. "Sorry!" I yelled out as I lifted him in my magic and placed him on his hooves again before I kept reading. "It says I just have to give the spell just a little thought and I can strengthen my barrier as much as I want."

"Hm? Try it," Ace encouraged me as he rubbed his muzzle with his hoof, "but don't drop me."

I nodded, enveloping him in my magic barrier and strengthening it as much as I could for that moment. "Use as much of your power as you can. I wanna see how much damage this thing can endure."

He sat down in the bubble, crossing his hooves over his chest.

I sighed. Why is he so stubborn? "I'll give you a donut?" I said as I sheepishly smiled, hoping he'd take the offer.

He sat there in silence for a moment. He uncrossed his hooves and stood up, wobbling around slightly. "Considered. I'll try and break it this time."

I smiled wide and took out a hidden box of donuts, sliding them towards the bubble. "You can have those afterwards. There's about four or so. Alright, whenever you're ready."

He stretched, placing all his hooves firmly in the bubble and looked at me as the lightening shot from him and into my barrier. I flinched for a moment from the intensity of the shock, staring at my barrier with wide eyes. "I think you just combined your power with my magic. It didn't break..." my voice trailed off as I looked up at my horn which had a small tint of black within it.

Ace was taken aback. "Nonsense!" he yelled out, shutting his eyes tightly before sending more energy through himself and the bubble, causing it to send out small sparks of black electricity.

I thought harder, keeping my mind on my magic as I kept casting glances at my horn. "I don't think it's gonna break!" I yelled out. I looked over to Vinyl and Octavia who had gotten up and moved away, staring at us both in disbelief. I directed my eyes back to my horn and then my bubble, seeing both were glowing a black tinted magenta. My gaze drifted to my coat which had gone to a pale gray, close to a white color. I shook my head, sending more magic to the barrier.

Before my eyes, the stallion was glowing a soft blue and his cutie mark had attained a lightening bolt through it. He opened his eyes that were now burning with fury, darkening and lightening frequently. "Graaaahhhh!" He yelled out as an enormous amount of energy shot from his body, the glow turning that of a blood red color, shattering my barrier. He stared at me, his breathing heavy and uneven.

I stood my ground. I could feel my eyes had changed color and my coat was almost white. "What the hay did you just do?" I asked him, sparking my magic slightly. "Great, black-magenta magic, how pretty," I muttered sarcastically.

The stallion was quiet as he began to approach me, his coat and eyes were still glowing a crimson color.

Looking at him expectantly, I raised an eyebrow  but kept my magic going, forming a ball of lightening-sparked magenta magic. "Well?"

He closed his eyes and yelled, the ringing in my ear almost intolerable as I enveloped the unicorn and earth pony in one of my barriers, sending them flying out the door as a ton of static electricity surged from Ace's body, hitting all corners of the room. I sent a ball of magic in his direction, pausing as we stared at each other for a long moment before we kept attacking each other with lightening and static-magic. "Would you calm your flank?" I screamed as I just barely dodged a single bolt of lightening, leaping over it as it nearly skimmed past my underbelly

Ace looked at me before his eyes faded to that of a sky blue once more and the outer glow around his body disappeared, collapsing under his own hooves and laying in a heap on the floor. I looked at him for a moment from my place, staring at him. After a moment, I trotted over to him and began prodding him with my hoof after I had calmed myself down, my coat and eyes fading to their original color. "Ace?" I asked in a worried tone. As I expected, he was silent and stationary. I prodded him harder with my hoof, trying to wake him up. "Dummy, wake up," I said, hoping he'd hear me. I laid down next to him now, resting my chin on my hooves as I draped my wing over the unconscious pegasus. "Ace, please wake up," I pleaded. There was soft breathing beside me and I closed my eyes, casting a small spell sure to help him wake up. I nuzzled his neck, picking his head up for a moment before putting it back down on the floor. "Ace?"

"Mmmpph?" he replied, opening his eyes slowly. I nuzzled him again, gently this time as a small smile of happiness tugged at my lips. I pulled back and he had a soft blush accompanying his pure white coat. "Silver?"

"Yes?" I responded, my smile widening some.

He blinked hard, shaking his head just slightly and rolling over to lay down. "T-tell me wh-what just happened?" he asked with a stutter.

I paused and retracted my wing, trying to figure out how to tell him. "I-I don't know how to explain it. One moment I'm asking you to break my magic barrier, which you couldn't for a bit, then you got all mad and broke it and now my magic is a mixture of your lightening powers. How? I'm not sure. I started throwing some type of magic with lightening in it and then, you passed out."

He looked deep into my eyes, searching them for anything else. "Oh?" he sighed heavily. "Some how my inner magic mixed with yours. I gave it my all then suddenly it just went black. I don't remember what happened, but if you have my power within you, that means its in your blood stream and that's not good." He took an unnecessary pause, causing me to be on the edge of my seat as he continued once more. "I need to drain it out. Not your blood but the electrical current."

I smiled reassuringly. "It's just in my magic," I told him, forming a small ball in front of him to symbolize what I meant. "It doesn't hurt and the only way for me to fully understand your power is for me to have it. Not for long, just long enough so analyze and try it out."

He nodded. "I see."

"So," I began as I stood up, stretching as I continued speaking, "how exactly do you use it?"

"That's hard to say considering the fact it isn't within your blood stream," he told me.

"My magic is resided within me, kind of like my blood stream but more of a magic stream. It depends on how strong the electrical current is."

He shook his head, waving his hoof dismissively. "Just be careful on how you use it. Sometimes it can drain you of your energy and put you in a really bad situation. Promise you'll be careful with it?"

I rolled my eyes. "Well, of course I'm gonna be careful, I don't know what it does."

"That's good to hear," he murmured, laying there on the floor as he stared at me. "So, I just up and turned into some power freak trying to kill you?"

I nodded. "Red eyes, red cutie mark, etc. I had to literally roll Octavia and Vinyl out to protect them." I opened the door with my magic and my mouth literally hit the floor, the sight in front of me held no one other than the two mares rolling around uncontrollably in my protective barrier. "I forgot to pop that..." I whispered, giggling for a moment as I watched them.

I heard Ace chuckle before his tone turned serious. "Silver."

I turned my head, directing my full attention towards him as I head the squeals and 'Ow!'s of the two mares outside. "Yes?"

"Remember when I was hearing voices?"

"Yes. What about them?" I responded while tilting my head to the side as I laid back down beside him, returning my chin on its place on my hooves.

"I believe that moment with the red eyes was like my dark side."

I shrugged, patting his shoulder. "There's a slight possibility. I have a super, normal, and psychotic side. I don't show the other two very often though."

"I don't know, Silver. What do I do about it?" he asked as he attempted sitting up. I helped him and he sat beside me, slouching just slightly but he was still taller than me.

"It depends on how you use your powers. You can mute out the negative voices with positive ones or," I paused, tapping my chin with my hoof once I sat up on my haunches. "You can override the positive ones with negatives and destroy your friendships. It's up to you. You could have hurt somepony."

He frantically shook his head, flattening his ears. "I blacked out, Silver. Please, don't say that."

"I'm not blaming you for anything. I'm just saying if it weren't for me trying to snap you out of it, we could have destroyed Twilight's home." I smiled and nuzzled him again, patting his shoulder and popping the protective barrier. "I know you'll fuel your powers with positive energy or do the right thing."

To my most immense surprise, he smiled and nuzzled me back. "Yes, I know," he said as he began watching me.

I smiled more and lifted myself up, stretching again. "I know too because I believe in you," I told him as I trotted away from him and to the two mares, feeling his eyes bore into me. I really do hope he does what's right with those powers of his, I thought to myself, facehoofing for a moment as I sparked my magic again, seeing the black-magenta sparks float to the ground. And I really hope I can figure out how in the hay his powers work in the first place, I thought further as the two mares in front of me lay there on the grass, staring at me. I also need to work on stopping protective barriers to prevent my friends from rolling around like maniacs. I chuckled softly to myself as I sat down by them and glanced back at the pegasus who was twiddling his hooves as if he were thinking. Please do what's right, I thought, softening my gaze once we made eye contact. I smiled warmly and he smiled back. Please.