Pete Powell's Life as a Pony, and Beyond

The Princess Celestia sat down next to the deep blue unicorn in the last few hours of dusk. This particular parapet, facing the west, had been his favorite since he mastered the ability of teleportation nearly a month ago. It had initially dumbfounded those around him that he always seemed to disappear around the same time every evening, and it had actually been an enraged Rainbow Dash that found his secret place. Now, however, it served more as another informal meeting place for the former human and co-monarch of Equestria, much as his own rooftop had.

“And how are you this evening?”

“Same as any other day.”

“You don't sound like it. In fact, I've noticed you sounding rather upset these last few days.”

“Lies.”

“Well, not when you're around the others, but here? Yes, I can hear it in your voice here. Something is bothering you.”

“It's nothing.”

Celestia pouted, “You know, this 'blind sage' thing doesn't work since you're not blind any more.”

“I was never a 'blind sage.'”

“Then stop answering in single sentences, and actually converse.”

Pony Pete sighed, “What do you want from me?”

“I want to know what is bothering you.”

“It's nothing.”

“So it doesn't have anything to do with the book you read last week?” Celestia asked with a raised brow, “The one about the differences between the pony races?”

There was a long pause, than another long sigh, “Probably not for the reasons you think.”

“So it has nothing to do with your new longevity of close to 600 years and Rainbow Dash's 250?”

“...Luna is the one teaching me all this magic, right?”

Celestia nodded, “Yes, it's rather unconventional but we believe-.”

“You wouldn't let her do that for long if you didn't think I was some how special, like Twilight. So I'm, effectively, Luna's personal student in the way Twilight is yours.”

“Where are you going with this Pete?”

“...History has shown that every student under you twos tutelage has lived well beyond normal unicorn years. Well into their THOUSANDS.”

“And this worries you.”

“Sort of, I'm more concerned about how being alive for a thousand years is going to effect my sanity. Though, I'm already thinking on a plan to circumvent other major issues. Honestly, I'm glad becoming a unicorn comes with a unicorn brain. I thought that learning magic would be really hard, but somehow it's a lot easier than I expected, almost second nature now.”

“So your studies are going well?”

“Yeah, I think. You'd have to ask Luna if I'm fairing any better than the average unicorn, because I don't really have a frame of reference, but I'd think that having been a human only two months ago, I'm doing really well.”

“I see, and what is this 'plan' you're working on?”

Pete shot Celestia a grin, “Trying to trip me up? Well, no need, I'm fairly open with my plan. ...I've decided to try and find a way to put everypony on equal footing in the aging department. Some sort of spell, or enchanted item that can slow the aging process of any pony down so the three races live the same amount of time.”

“Pete, tampering with death is no small matter,” the alabaster alicorn warned, her voice hard.

“I'm not though, I'm simply trying to extend life. Unicorn magic is what gives us our long life, it's also why we heal faster. Think not only of how things will be when herds don't have to worry about their herdmates dying hundreds of years before them because they're of a different species, but of how much safer everything will be when everypony has latent healing magic coursing through them! It will take a lot of work, I know that, but once I get started it shouldn't be too hard to figure out how to transfer some of that longevity, or even create it in limited quantities.”

Celestia let out a deep sigh, “You're not going to give up on this idea, are you?”

“Not even for a minute.”

Suddenly, there was a massive flash of light that faded into the form of Luna. The Princess of night had just finished lowering the sun, and the stars were beginning to appear when urgent news had been brought to her attention.

“Pete, sister,” she greeted each of them with a nod, “We have a problem,” the lunar princess said, fear and anger in her eyes.

“What's up?”

“Ponyville has been attacked by Changelings. The Elements of Harmony are on their way into the Changeling kingdom to stop whatever it is Chrysalis is planing, but-”

“Shit,” Pete spat, his eyes widening, “They're going to need some help.”

“Pete,” Celestia said, stopping the former human in his tracks, “What do you know about this?”

“Gods, I wish I remembered the extended series better. I knew this would happen, but obviously I have no idea WHEN these things will happen. The show has basically given me a functional knowledge of the future, and this was something that happened, but I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT.”

“Don't push yourself, you're still getting used to using magic,” Luna warned.

“Don't worry, I'm not. But if I'm remembering right, Chrysalis has most of Ponyville cocooned up. I can't just sit here and let that happen. Canterlot has all these guards, what does Ponyville have? One new guy if Dash was telling the truth, and he's probably plastered to a wall right now. I know things turned out well in the comics, but we've already established that things don't work to a T like that here. Something could go horribly wrong, something I could prevent.”

“You have no way of knowing that,” Celestia responded, “for all you know you're just putting yourself in needless danger.”

Pete turned back and smiled, his amber eyes almost glowing in the moonlight, “Relax, I'll make sure everything works out in the end.” And with a flash, he was gone.

“I think we can trust him, Tia.”

Celestia looked at her sister, “Of course you do, you're the one that's been training him.”

“Well,” the younger alicorn thought, “Doesn't favoritism apply to your thoughts about your own student?”

“Twilight has proven herself many times before.”

“And Pete has proven himself at least twice back in his own world. We should give him these chances, especially since he's soon to take his role as my own Captain.”

“You're still serious about that.”

“Of course sister, my guard has long been without one now. I think I'll make it official when he comes back.”

“Has he even been through basic training?” Celestia asked, facehoofing.

“Of course he has, and his time spent with Rainbow Dash was quite apparent. He did better than most of the recruits in the physical portions, and he was easily the best at them of all the unicorns.”

“Really? Why didn't you tell me?”

“Pete insisted, he said he didn't want to become a Captain until he understood our society better. I'm not sure what is keeping him now, though.”

Celestia smiled knowing that Pete had most likely begun his research into extending life, and would like nothing better than to freeload off the Canterlot library for as long as possible.

“I think you're right Luna,” Celestia began, a wicked grin on her face, “when Pete comes back we shall make him a Captain. It would only be fitting considering the selflessness he's displaying by charging head first into a dangerous situation for the sake of others.”

Celestia began a slow trot back down to her room, leaving a confused and stunned Luna on the parapet.