Pete Powell's Life as a Pony, and Beyond

Pete awoke to the sound of a familiar voice telling a familiar tale. The mane six, plus Spike and Celestia, were sitting around a fire. Spike was regaling the group about his own exploits in Canterlot, now that Chrysalis' plan had been thwarted. No thanks to Pete, who couldn't even remember what had happened after he arrived in the Changeling controlled territory. He recalled being surrounded by Changelings, and a sudden splitting headache. After that, nothing.

Spike was still mid story so, deciding not to overshadow the little guy's triumphant moment, Pete continued to lay there, eyes closed. Draped over his flank and lower back was a wing, and a familiar scent drifted to his nostrils from beside him. A gentle smile crossed his face as he realized that no matter what happened he could always pick Rainbow Dash out of a crowd. Even if he was completely blind, which he had been before, her typical scent of fresh rain was completely unique to him. Snuggled close to his lover, Pete listened to Spike's tale about fending off beasts in Canterlot, making Pete feel stupid. The odds had always been with the Elements of Harmony to succeed, he should have stayed in Canterlot to deal with the attacks he SHOULD have known about.

“So, what happened with you all, Twilight?” the small dragon asked.

Twilight gave a summary of the events that Pete had been just hours behind the whole way, “Then when I faced Chrysalis something happened. My magic got really powerful thanks to the Secretariat. ...but something else happened too.”

“Something else?” Celestia asked.

“Yes. Pete arrived towards the end, but something was off. He was casting dark magic, like Sombra did,” Twilight's voice was concerned, and afraid.

“Who's Sombra?” Dash asked, her voice almost next to Pete's ear.

“He was an evil monarch in the Crystal Empire a long time ago. The other Elements aided in his defeat while you were still in the human world,” Celestia explained.

“I barely have a grasp on normal magic,” Pete said, revealing his state of alertness, “So where in Tartarus did I pick up dark magic?”

There was a general shout of alarm from the others, except Celestia who simply continued with, “I'm not sure. Perhaps it had something to do with the special astronomical event this evening.”

“Okay, hold up a second,” Scootaloo shouted from the other side of the fire, “Before we go on with how this guy knows evil spells, why is Rainbow Dash draping her wing over him?! I mean that's...”

“It's what?” Applebloom questioned her friend.

“When a pegasus does it, it typically denotes a very close bond with the other creature.”

“Oh!” two thirds of the Cutie Mark Crusaders exclaimed at Celestia's explanation, “So that means that's her special somepony?” Sweetie Belle asked the monarch.

“I don't buy it,” Scootaloo said, as she walked over to the couple, “I've never seen him before in Ponyville, so where did they meet? How long have they been together? And what sort of name is 'Pete?'”

“Well, there's a Pony Joe in Canterlot,” Pete said, “That doesn't seem like the average pony name.”

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle chimed in, “And if he knows somepony in Canterlot, maybe he's from there, and Rainbow Dash goes there all the time with the others.”

The Elements of Harmony looked at each other worriedly, then to Celestia. The Princess of the Sun thought on the issue at hoof. It was possible that the fillies would become distrustful of Pete were they to learn his human origins, however, it was also possible they wouldn't care at all. Then of course it was possible they might let something slip one day and reveal Pete's origin to somepony who WAS against humans, even if the girls themselves weren't. Ultimately, she decided that there were things they needed to discuss, and it might end up more difficult to hide the truth than it would be to tell them outright. Better to trust the CMC now than have them expose something on purpose later because of unanswered questions from this moment.

“Pete's tale is a strange one young fillies, and it goes back several months ago.”

“How many months?” Applebloom asked.

“Over half a year now actually.”

“Wait, this isn't around when y'all went missing in the human world, is it?”

“Yes. Pete is the human that we first met, the one that saw to our basic necessities for an entire month, saved Rainbow Dash's life, and then sheltered her for another five years when she jumped back through the portal.”

“She was only gone five months,” Scootaloo retorted with an eye roll.

“Yes, but time flows differently between different realities,” Celestia explained.

“Ya know,” Applejack said, rubbing her chin with a hoof, “I guess some things must have really happened between you two. I knew you were passionate about stuff, Dash, but I don't think I've ever seen you so open about it like this.”

The rainbow maned pegasus about opened her mouth to retort, but there was no fire in it. She slowly looked down at the stallion under her wing. Even though she knew he was awake he looked peaceful where he was, eyes closed, and a faint smile. She couldn't rebuke her friend because the farm pony was right. Five years was a long time, and while she didn't always show it, she had grown in that time. Pegasi age slower than humans, so while she was 21, she would be that way for a long time. Pete on the other hoof was 32, even now, though his unicorn magic would slow his aging down even further than her innate pegasus ones did, and when you hang around with someone for so long you act like them from time to time. And one sentiment she now echoed from her time in his world was his promise to her, that he would do his best to keep her safe and happy for as long as possible, no matter the cost.

Pete's smile fell, he looked over at Dash and opened his eyes, “What's wrong?”

“N-nothing!” the cyan pegasus protested, looking away in embarrassment.

“You're tensed, something's wrong.” Rainbow said nothing, but Pete felt her primaries tense near his flank and looked back, “What happened, Dash.”

“...you're not going to like it,” her words just barely audible.

“Try me,” Pete said, defiantly.

“You got your cutie mark.”

“Oh, and he was a BLANK FLANK TOO!?” Scootaloo shouted, “So you're telling me the human turned pony got his cutie mark before us?! COME ON!”

“What is it?” Rarity asked, curiosity evident on her's and everypony else's face.

“...it's... it's a black heart.”

Confusion exploded onto Pete's face as he pushed himself unsteadily to his hooves and turned to look. Sure enough, on both flanks there was a heart, simple in design, but it was jet black. The group examined it for a moment before Pete sat down, and deliberations began on what it meant. Any and every attempt was made to avoid the simplest possible interpretation, that Pete was, at his core, evil.

“That's not what it means,” a voice echoed inside his head.

Pete closed his eyes again, he had not heard another voice in his head in years, and this was not the same one.

Who are you?

“I'm not who you'd expect. I would tell you, or appear myself, but this is a splintered timeline. I had a plan for you, and you're doing a BANG UP job here. As stated though, you're currently in an alternate time line where there are some very significant changes. Namely, you conquered your inner darkness before arriving in Equestria. You also have a form that can naturally use magic, so it has manifested itself differently. Your cutie mark is a symbol of your control. You mastered the darkness within, and now it's up to you to master control over the powers it brings.”

… I see

“Good. You're a lot more level headed than this Pete here. Such a loose cannon. Kinda reminds me of myself a few millennia ago.”

So how do I master this power I allegedly have?

“Oh, it's not alleged at all, ask Twilight. She exploded with power from the Secretariat in the form of a brilliant light, you blew in a door taking down the minion changelings, and took out the guards in the city, with pure darkness. And where would you learn control of DARKNESS from? Of all the ponies in Equestria, nay, the world, who would have knowledge of ancient dark magics?”

Ah, I see, both your hint, and you're horse pun. Neigh, nay? Really?

The voice laughed, “Gotta stay loose kiddo. I've been around for almost 60,000 years, and I almost went insane in the first few thousand trying to take everything seriously.”

There was a moment where Pete almost responded, but the voice was gone and he could feel it. With a sigh, the blue unicorn opened his eyes, and his ears, to the group around him very still trying to excuse his talent. The talking died down moments later as they noticed their friend looking at the sky.

“What's up?” Dash asked, still beside him.

“... could we maybe put the fire out for a moment? I can't see the stars very well.”

“What one are you looking for?” Twilight asked, her curiosity rising.

“Whatever one she's using tonight. Probably one of Orion's. She really like those for some reason.”

Most of the group looked at each other in confusion, but a look of surprise dawned on Celestia's face. With a short glow of her horn the fire died, leaving them in sparse illumination. After a brief moment Pete smiled, and his own horn began to glow faintly.

“By the light of Rigel, may the Goddess of the moon hear my prayer,” Pete whispered, and, in a flash, an image of Luna standing in a city appeared before the group.

The Princess of Night appeared very irritated, and was covered some kind of thick white goop. As she stood there flicking some of the substance off of herself more ponies came by, also coated in it. A closer inspection revealed that most of the buildings were covered by it as well, as if some kind of pox were consuming the city.

“A marshmallow creature. Why marshmallow?” Luna asked, finally looking up into the face of the projection.

“Because who would think the stay puff marshmallow man could be dangerous?” Pete replied with a smirk, also causing Rainbow to chuckle.

“We do not HAVE such a mascot here, Pete. Such a thought is completely absurd.”

“Wait,” Dash said between laughs, “Is that Manehattan?”

“Yes,” Luna replied, confused. Rainbow Dash simply laughed harder, to the point of gasping for air.

“It's a reference you wouldn't understand Princess,” Pete said, shaking his head, but still smiling.

“More of your human movies I'd presume?”

“So he really WAS a human?” Scootaloo asked, apparently still in disbelief.

“Yes, I'm amazed they hadn't explained that yet,” Luna turned and cocked an eyebrow at her sister.

“Well they did,” Applebloom spoke, “But it's kinda hard to believe after what those other ones...”

“Well not now that we can see his cutie mark I don't think it's too hard to believe,” Scootaloo scoffed.

Luna's eyes went wide and she turned back to Pete, “IS THIS TRUE?!”

Pete turned, “Looks that way.”

Upon seeing the mark, and hearing the story of what he'd done, Luna's face fell, “That could mean anything. It's not-”

“It means I've mastered my inner demons,” Pete regurgitated, “Remember when we thought you might have accidentally infected me with Nightmare Moon? Well, I've been thinking about that, and I think we missed something.”

“What?”

“When we did that test to see if I could amplify enough power for you all to go home the magic Celestia gave me completely vanished in seconds. So wouldn't the spell that made Nightmare Moon do the same thing, or in this case transform into another type of spell altogether?”

The silence was oppressive. After a moment Pete continued.

“Ignoring that, since magic has no way of manifesting in the human world, essentially locking it inside of me, I spent five years coming to grips with it in relative peace. Eventually I came to terms, accepted and moved on. I mastered my inner darkness. I've- I'm thinking, that maybe this is simply how it manifests now. It would have happened sooner or later, but the Secretariat sped the process up.”

“So what do we do?” Twilight asked, concerned, “Almost everypony in history that had powerful dark magic ended up evil, or insane.”

“Well, that's the thing. I've been told from a possibly reliable, yet strange, source that Luna might be able to help me.”

“I can't take it away Pete,” the Princess said earnestly.

Pete shook his head, “Nor would I want you too. This power is part of me, separating it from me could have catastrophic consequences. Rather, I want to learn how to use it and I've been told you're the one who has the how to on that.”

“Pete, having the ability to use such magics, and actively learning to use them are two very different things,” Celestia warned, “Delving to far into them-”

“I'm vaguely aware of the generic warnings about evil dark magic, but I'd never even looked over such spells, yet tonight I apparently used extremely powerful ones. As it stands the power is awake inside me, and I can't control it. After hearing Spike's story about the attack on Canterlot I thought that maybe I would have been more efficient if I'd stayed there instead of trailing behind the Elements, but after learning what I did here I can't help but shiver at what I might have done if I'd been around more than just Changelings. I don't want to hurt anyone, and the only way I can make sure that never happens by accident is if I learn to control this.”

“... I am afraid to say it, but he has a point sister. If his potential is so great, better for him to learn discipline and control rather than have an accident later that could endanger others. Even if it does mean teaching him things better left forgotten.”

Celestia sighed, “He is your student Luna, as much as I don't like it, it isn't much my place to tell you what to teach him. Any more than it is yours to mine. I don't like it, but it is your choice.”

“Very well, Pete. When you return to Canterlot we shall begin your studies anew. ...I suppose this means I'll have to put off your ascension to Captain of my guard till later though.”

“Oh no,” Pete said, purposefully insincerely, “What a tragedy.”

Luna rolled her eyes and the vision faded, as it did so Spike breathed fire on the remnants of the wood and the light came back to life. There was silence for a long while as those gathered considered what had happened. Well, all but Pete. Pete knew that this would detract from his plans to scour the Canterlot library for information on life magic, and ultimately his goal of keeping Rainbow Dash alive as long as he would live, but it was necessary. He felt genuine fear from these powers and the negative connotation possessing them would give other people.

Celestia was wondering how these events would affect her sister. Luna had not touched dark magic since Nightmare Moon, and for good reason. The temptation to take control could spring up at any moment, and though Luna was known for her mastery of such spells, it did not make her any less susceptible to their influence. As history demonstrated. Celestia's only hope was that perhaps there was more to Pete's cutie mark than expected, and that the young stallion could teach his control over his heart to her sister.

For the most part the others were still gently working their way around the entirety of the conversation they had just heard. They had known Pete had some issues, but he had left those behind long ago, Dash had watched them fade first hand. The stallion that stood before them now was almost always smiling, even if only slightly sometimes. The idea that he had evil powers of great expanse within him almost contradicted the personality he had now. But there was one thing that jumped to one mind in particular. One thing that stuck out and left a certain mare almost inarticulate with shock.

“Y-y-you're Luna's student?” Twilight stuttered, “Since when?”

Pete looked dumbfounded, “Since like a week after coming here, I guess. What's wrong?”

“What's WRONG?! What isn't?! I mean, I had to pass a test and go through magic school and get good grades, always worrying about failing Princess Celestia and then you show up and it's just 'oh, I'm Luna, I'll make you my student, who cares if you don't know magic?' I care! I mean... COME ON!” Twilight exploded, her rant turning into pants, then flushed embarrassment.

“Is that all? Well, allow me to ease your mind. While I may be considered her student at the moment, it's not public knowledge, and is subject to change at any time. Tutor would be a better term for it. I had barely a basic grasp of magical knowledge and was getting nowhere fast on my own. One night Luna found me and decided to give me some pointers, since nights are typically free of distraction, and therefore royal duties. At the moment I'm still working my way up to intermediate spells, of which I fail quite often. I suppose this is all going to change now that we've discovered my 'talent.' Surely even if we never told anypony they would make an immediate connection between a pony with dark magic and the Princess of it.

“You're also forgetting that the line for ponies to be taught by Luna isn't very existent. The thoughts of Nightmare Moon are still prevalent in many ponies minds, but not mine. Even if I don't end up being some incredibly powerful, famous unicorn, I'm still a start. Worse, there will be more pressure on me than you. If you fail ponies opinions won't change of Celestia, but if I do moods would almost certainly sour over Luna. The monstrous princess that once tried to bring night eternal, and her failure of a protege that couldn't even live up to his cutie mark. Great pressures ride on both of us, I know that, but you're still leagues ahead of me in magical theory and practice.”

“You seem rather calm about that,” Celestia noted aloud.

“Of course I do. Remember my plan? I'm going to end up a LEGEND when I'm done. Just because I know I've got a lot riding on my shoulders doesn't mean I can't be confident about it. Twilight's better than me because she's had a lot of practice with magic, and magic itself is her talent, pure undefined magic. I get the terrifying dark magics, that ironically work counter to what I want to achieve,” a large, almost horrifying smile spread across Pete's face, “I welcome the challenge though, and who knows? Maybe one day I'll prove to be the exception to the horror stories about black magic.”

“...um, what plan? I mean, if you don't mind,” Fluttershy squeaked from the side.

“Yeah, you've got a plan now?” Applejack asked, eyebrow cocked.

“Yep. I'm gonna figure out how to extend the life span of the other pony races to the extent of unicorns.”

Shock rippled through the group.

“Is that even possible?!” Spike asked, getting slightly excited.

“No kiddin' I mean, that's a great idea, I suppose, but is it even possible?” Applejack looked to Twilight, the unicorn lost in thought.

“I've never thought about it. I haven't even gotten to that point in my studies,” she replied.

“Well that's why I work better at these things, no schedule for me, and I'm reading up on it in my spare time. A suggestion, read Star Swirl the Bearded's notes over it before you jump into any of the modern stuff, but don't take what he says too seriously. A lot of innovations have been made since then, and he barely understood it himself. Of course Star Swirl admits that many times.”

It was Celestia's turn to be shocked, “How far along are you?!”

Pete laughed, “I started months ago. Not long after Luna drove the basics of magical theory into my skull. I've worked my way through about half the castle's collective works on life magic.”

“Is that a lot?” Sweetie Belle asked, looking at Twilight as the purple unicorn impersonated a fish.

“It's the second largest study in the magical world,” Twilight strained, “And he's HALF WAY THROUGH?!”

“Well, I'm not out saving the whole of Equestria, or writing friendship reports. I have much more free time. I may have read more about one subject than you, Twilight, but I'll bet you've picked over a lot more than I have. My goal is focused and direct, if it doesn't have a chance of telling me something I might need to know about extending life, I've passed it over.”

“Oh. Well, I guess if you're just going after one subject that isn't too hard to do. In fact I'd probably be done by now.”

“Haha, I'm sure you would! Even with my new unicorn mind I still find myself forgetting things not long after reading them and end up having to search through everything till I find it again. It's typically something pointless too, just some random phrase I saw and can't get it out of my mind until I see who wrote it.”

“You seem to be taking this rather personally Twilight,” Rarity said, showing concern for her friends sudden worries.

“Well... I've just worked really hard to be Celestia's student, and finding out that Pete just sort of fell into a similar position...”

“It's nothing to be ashamed of, and like I said, if I prove that I'm not up to snuff it's just as easy for me to lose that position. Not that that would stop me.”

“So why do you want to keep everypony alive for so long anyway?”

Pete glanced back at Rainbow Dash, then to the others, “It's not completely obvious?”

“That's it?” Applejack asked incredulously, “I mean, not that it's not a good reason, but that's all?”

“Well, there's more, but going beyond the obvious feels like I'm saying too much. Sufficed to say, I've no intention of hoarding this discovery for myself, and I've also no intention of pushing it on others. Something just seems off though about this whole age thing. It's not fair to me that unicorns live for so long.”

“...I'll help,” everypony looked at Twilight, “He's making a very good argument, what can I say? Besides, something like this is a HUGE undertaking that could change Equestria! Even if we don't manage to do it EXACTLY like Pete wants, the research we put in could change the world of healthcare. Better, more efficient healing magic, shorter recovery times, who knows?! ...of course I'll need books from the royal library, and maybe to look over your notes.”

“I can get my notes to you easy enough, and if I can figure out how to do it right I might be able to send you books using the rune symbol in the castle.”

“Twilight, are you certain you want to do this?” Celestia asked, the monarch growing more concerned about Pete's plan.

“I'm positive, Princess. I know it's going to be hard, but I really think Pete has good intentions, and a good idea here. I don't believe we'll be able to extend life spans THAT far, but we can improve the quality of life for a lot of ponies. ...maybe.”

Celestia sank into her thoughts as the conversation drifted back to Pete's history. For eons the status quo of the world had been maintained by pony races different life spans. There was just the right population to keep everyone happy, if they chose to go the right way. This research proposal was threatening to turn the world into an overpopulated mess, like Pete's had been. Celestia didn't fault the humans for that, but now she almost could, if Pete's idea came to fruition. His intentions were pure, but he could not yet see the ramifications of such an act. Perhaps in time he might, but she doubted very heavily that even that would dissuade him. This situation was not likely to turn out well for the Princess of the Sun.

“Relax Celly, everything is as the All Maker deems it,” a strange voice echoed in the Princess' head, causing her to look around sharply.

“It was nothing,” she assured those around her when asked what was wrong.

“Who are you?” she asked the voice internally.

“I'm ...a watcher, at the moment. I see no reason to get involved there, and I'm rather busy here. I just thought I should let you know that even if Pete succeeds in his endeavor, which I'm sure he will one day, you'll adapt. And probably do a much better job than most.”

With that the voice left, Celestia recognizing the calm emptiness of being alone with her thoughts. A feeling yet lingered from that voice, however. A feeling that somethings were very much out of, even her, control. A feeling she hadn't felt in many centuries, not since Discord roamed free. It felt as though a storm was brewing, something was going to happen. When and where was yet to be decided, but something was in the works, something deemed to occur by the fate's themselves.