A Strange New World: CH7

>The rest of the evening passes without incident, your exploration of the town unimpeded save for a few hesitant stares and cursory remarks. One young pony even strode up to you, inquisitive as to what exactly you were.

>It was novel, your very nature being mysterious to the ponies. It made a pleasant change from your struggle in Lordran, where it was more often than not yourself who was wondering about beasts… and the danger they posed to you.

>As you remember the time spent in that hellish land, your instincts begin to twitch, roused from a safety-induced sleep.

>You were normally one to trust them, seeing as they had saved your hide countless time before, but surely they were just overreacting now?

>Then again, Solaire had always stressed to listen to your intuition even when the situation seemed safe. More often than not, there was something at the root of it…

>As a familiar glow envelopes your hands, you look down in surprise, your pyromancy flame springing to life.

>It always seemed to act on its accord when you were unnerved… just another reminder of the caution you had to use when wielding it. You could never truly control your flame; only know your limits with it…

>Your squeeze your hands around the comforting flames, before dispelling them with a sweeping thought.

>You were probably just overacting to the situation around you. You had never truly experienced peace like this, not for this length of time at least. And compounded with the edge driven by Rainbow Dash’s unfortunate accident, it’s no wonder you’re nervous.

>Speaking of that prismatic pegasus, you really ought to visit her now that you’ve seen all that you wished to.

>You mull it over for a second, before getting to your feet.

>That’d probably be for the best. There’d be plenty of time later to converse with Solaire…

>Your greaves clanking softly, you set out for the hospital, the streets becoming more and more familiar to you.

>You really ought to find a tunic of some sort now that you were no longer constantly in danger: your armour was as comfortable as could be when it came to it, but it didn’t even compare to a simple tunic and undergarments.

>And perhaps inquiring into some sort of bathing facility would be for the best: you had been instilled with the value of hygiene long ago, and while you had been excused from it back in the land of the Gods, there was no reason or rhyme to put it off here.

>You put away the trivial personal thoughts as you enter the hospital, making your own way to Rainbow Dash’s ward. You doubt anyone would have stopped you if they had an objection to your presence anyway.

>”Anon!” the pegasus squeals as you stride into her room.

“You seem to get more jubilant after I leave, am I really that grating?” you chuckle mirthlessly.

>”Heh, don’t beat yourself up dude. You’re pretty cool… anyway, guess what?”

“I’d rather you just tell me, I’m not very patient.”

>”You’re no fun!” Rainbow Dash puts. “Anyway, the nurses said I could leave tomorrow if I wanted!”

“Excellent! That’s wonderful to hear.”

>”I know, right?”

“So, uh… what time will your release occur at?”

>”Don’t worry about that Anon, I know you’re itching to get a tour of everything. I’ll meet up with ya at the palace, and then lead you from there.”

“The less I have to worry about, the better… you sure you’re ok with my tagging along?”

>”Sure! If you were just some other stallion I might have been suspicious, but you’re…”

“Different?”

>”Well, I was trying to think up a way to say it without offending ya, but-“

“I’m not offended in the slightest. Different is certainly an appropriate description.”

>”Yeah, how many ponies can say that they can cast fire with their bare hooves? I mean sure, you could probably find a unicorn who could do it but that’s only with spells…”

“Pyromancy is nothing like sorcery… At least in my world, sorcery requires an intuitive understanding of something: your intellect must be able to dissect it wholly, explain the intricacies and… I’m boring you, aren’t I?”

>”What? No you’re not… ok, just a little. It’s kinda hard to follow your speech, it’s really…”

“Different?” you smirk.

>”Very funny.” She pouts.

“I try my best. Ok, I’ll try to explain this in better terms. All sorcery is about knowing your magic will work, miracles are believing your magic will work, and pyromancy is simply just making it work.”

>”You make it sound like anyone can cast fire.” Rainbow Dash says with an unbelieving look.

“You couldn’t be more right, my feathery friend. If you’ve got a pyromancy flame, then the rest simply is down to your mettle, determination, training and respect.”

>”Respect what? I don’t understand.”

“See, if you were my apprentice then you’d have made your first mistake already.”

>”What? Dude, quit screwing around with me, there’s no way I would have messed up that early!”

>You ignore her complaint and instead summon a small flame, nestling it in your open palm.

“The mistake many pyromancers make, no matter if they’re an apprentice or a seasoned wielder, is not giving the due care the flame demands. It is also not by coincidence that this is often a final mistake a pyromancer makes.”

>Willing the flame to grow larger, you slowly nurture it to fullness, enrapturing the pegasus.

>”Whoa… I want one of those…”

“Your fascination with the flame is commendable: many find an adoration of the flame… uncivilised.”

>”What? How could they find this uncool? It’s a freaking fireball that you could summon when you wanted!”

“It’s a rather primitive form of magic, at its roots. And perhaps it is unfair to say this, but it’s also once of the most difficult routes of magic to pursue.”

>”But you said anyp0ny could do it!”

“Anyone can do it… but to be successful at it? That’s a whole different tale, Rainbow Dash.”

>You idly pass the flame between your fingers, the attentive eyes of Rainbow Dash tracking it.

“You see, as I said earlier, the flame requires respect and care when wielding it. It’s not something that can be easily tamed or controlled… it’s almost a being of its own right. And yet, it’s closer to us than anything else…”

>Rainbow Dash regards you with wonder and curiosity. ”What do you mean?”

“Fire does not occur without consumption. You know this, yes?”

>”Er, yeah. What does that have to with this?”

“A pyromancer’s flame doesn’t feed off anything physical or tangible… it is fuelled by the power within us. Our very soul is intertwined with the flame, nurturing and feeding it… That is why we must respect the flame, and take extreme caution when testing our limits. If we were to grow reckless or uncaring, the flame could consume our very souls…”

>Your revelation seems to have shocked the pegasus into silence.

>”Huh. That’s kinda… grim.”

“Grim is very much an understatement. And that is why…” You snap your fingers, dispelling the flame. “I will always stress caution when dealing with pyromancy. It’s also why you can’t have one of these.”

>”You don’t think I’m careful enough to have one?” Rainbow Dash asks, her voice thick with undertone accusations.

“It’d be my responsibility, if anything dreadful was to happen to you. The flame is mine, and I would take the blame for it… besides, it’s a rather personal thing to give away one’s flame. It’s the ultimate sign of trust, and with all due respect… you haven’t earned that trust.”

>”Hmmph. If you say so, dude… how’d you get your flame then, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I was seeking shelter in a hollow-ridden sewer, when I stumbled upon a man trapped in a barrel, waiting to be eaten. I liberated him, and helped him back to a shrine of safety… it was there that he shared his art with me, out of gratitude and desire to help me… Laurentius of the Great Swamp, was his name.”

>”Pretty unusual name… well, not as weird as Anonymous though. What happened to him then?”

>You pause for a moment, unsure of how to tell the pegasus the fate that befell your friend.

“He… he went mad looking for a power which could not be granted to him. A woman who revealed herself to all but a few living souls, was the centre of his obsession.”

>”Oh… I see. I take it from your voice that he-“

“Yes, he perished in his delusion… by my hand. I wielded the sword that put him out of his misery… and I was also the one who revealed the existence of the woman to him.”

>As Rainbow Dash gapes in pitied horror, you chuckle humorously.

“Fate can be cruelly ironic when it wants to… and you now know why I’m hesitant to share my knowledge with you. By my hand, I’ve already lost a friend… I don’t want to see that happen again.”

>Rainbow Dash appears to ponder your words, evidently struggling to think up a reply.

>”That’s… that’s real sad. I’m sorry to hear that, dude.”

“I appreciate your condolences… I think I’ll make my leave now…”

>You make your way out of the room, not even pausing to wave the pegasus goodbye, too wrapped up in your internal guilt to care.

>Even in this strange new world, your guilt persisted… Even in this early blossom of a new life, there lay the roots of despair. Would Rainbow Dash follow the same route of Laurentius in time?

>She was already expressing an acute interest in the arts of the flame… and yourself.

>With a  heavy sigh, you once again sweep away the troubling thoughts in the back of your mind.

>You would make sure to learn from the past, and prevent a repetition of your disastrous mistakes. But for now, you had your trivial present worries to solve.

 

>You find Solaire eating with Celestia in the mess hall, idling chatting to her.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything… personal?”

>”Of course not, Anonymous! You’re always welcome here!”

>Celestia beckons for you to sit, an offer which you accept gratefully.

“I’ve found myself being hungry for the first time in an age. As Solaire can testify, we undead don’t usually make it a habit of eating… Then again, I’m not used to a flow of time that actually works.”

>”Well, help yourself!” Solaire cheers, passing over a plate adorned with various breads. “What’s here is yours, if you need it.”

“Thank you kindly. So, while I was off getting perplexed by this city and reminiscing about Lordran, what did you two lovebirds get up to?”

>They both blush in unison, and you groan.

“Again? I never remembered you being such a dirty old man, Solaire!”

>”I don’t remember you being such a prude.” He retorts.

“I apologise for not sharing your desire to bed ponies, friend.”

>”Hey, jolly co-operation is for everyone and everything.”

“By the Gods you’re disturbing…” You shake your head. “Well, I’ll be happy for the two of you as long as you spare me the intimate details…”

>”Very well then,” Celestia chuckles. “Just remember the sun isn’t the only thing I can raise…”

>You think over what she said for a second, before it hits you.

“Good God, you’re both disgusting. A match made in the bowels of hell, for sure… Suddenly I don’t quite seem to be hungry anymore.”

>”Just warning you, Anon. You won’t find any human women again…”

>With a heavy sigh, you break off a chunk of bread, savouring the taste.

“I’ll be the one to worry about that, thank you… So, what are you planning on doing in my absence? I doubt a life of lounging and slacking is fit for you.”

>”Do not worry Anonymous; I will make sure Solaire does not grow complacent.” Celestia giggles, before blushing as Solaire wraps her in a hug.

>”I can take care of myself, Celly.” He says with mock impatience. “As for your question Anonymous, I’m going to remain with the guard here. Just because I may be retiring doesn’t mean I can’t show them a trick or two!”

“’Solaire’ and ‘retirement’ used in the same sentence? Truly the end times are open us…”

>You chuckle, before scooping up an armful of breads and fruit.

“Well, I think I best leave on that note. I’m going to be ill from this lovely-dovely nonsense, goodbye for now.”

>Your arms laden with food, you make your way out of the hall.

>”See that, Celestia? There stands a man who slaughtered dozens of beasts with an iron determination… and yet cannot withstand a little cuddling.”

>You almost stop to reply to Solaire’s jab, but instead you simply laugh, continuing to your quarters.

>He had a point, in fairness…

 

>Later, you find yourself approaching the barracks washroom, but to your surprise there were no baths available here. Only a multitude of nozzles lined along the wall greeted you: you approached one and turned the central dial out of curiosity.

>Your curiosity was quickly met by a hail of water to the face, causing you to stumble back in surprise.

>A strange mechanical thing, emptying seemingly infinite amounts of water from a vertical spout…

>Your interest was further peeked when, much more tentatively this time, you twisted the central dial of the contraption.

>To your bewildered delight, you could feel the heat of the water fluctuate under your exposed hand: twisting the dial left incurred a drop in temperature while twisting it right brought about the exact opposite.

>Stripping down from your armour and with a little hesitation, you huddle under the fierce downpour, the contraption obviously intended for a pony half your height.

>It felt strangely freeing to feel the water cascading down your head and back… This was a luxury indeed, a physical and tangible reminder that you’d escaped the horrors of Lordran.

>Time slows to a stop as you enjoy the cleansing torrent: you’d tried your best to remain civilised, but blood and dirt had caked into your body after ages of battle.

>Tomorrow you would be setting out for Ponyville, the first of many roads you would travel here…

>You’d walked immeasurable amounts of roads in Lordran, Astora, Thorolund, Carim, but the difference here? You were walking them of your own accord, and that made all the difference.

>And if what Zecora had said about the Everfree was true… well, you wouldn’t be hard pressed to find some challenges there.

>You smile, before reaching up and halting the flow of water, before getting up and drying yourself down.

>Arms laden with your armour, you make your way back to your room, restless with anticipation.

>A strange new world, a strange new companion and a strange new life… funny how these things work out…