>"What do you mean, 'You don't know'?"
>The glow that encompassed Celestia's horn and your head evaporated into nothingness at these words.
>"I... Chosen, despite my power, I cannot tell if you have any magic potential or not."
>Then what exactly happened to me in the cave?"
>"I don't know Chosen."
>"And why not?"
>Your patience with this probing was running its course.
>"There is something there, Chosen. But I cannot tell if it is just basic astartes magic potential or something more. I've given you tests that unconsciously force magic ability to manifest in Unicorns, but nothing has happened." Celestia responded.
>Perhaps you should tell her of your father's "gift"...
>No, that's definitely not what it is...
>No psychic potential had ever occurred in those blessed ones.
>"So it was just some random act of magic then. Some quirk of this world?" You wearily sighed as you tumbled your helmet over in your gauntlets. One lens was cracked, while dents, scrapes and powder burns marred the rest of it.
>You felt exhausted without the foggiest reason why.
>"Your guess is as good as mine, right now. I will need to consult my sister later, to get a fresh pair of eyes on the problem." You could feel the softness in her voice more keenly now. "And don't worry about having to face Luna's magic too. I can share what I saw with her with my magic."
>A wide yawn later and she had her guards usher you from the room.
>"Before you could fully exit the room, she called after you.
>You turn. "Yes?"
>"Why did you save Cherilee?"
>"Who?"
>*yawn* "The pony you saved in the mine, why did you save her from the dogs?"
>"...I don't know. Stupidity."
>She chuckles airily and smiles. "I think you are finally shaking off some of the hatred in your heart. Love is finally taking hold."
>"If you say so," you shrug noncommittally.
>"I do say, my friend. You are not the same man who stood here 10 days ago."
>With a final yawn, she remarks, "I won't keep you any longer, Chosen, you are a busy man after all. Or will be soon."
>A look of confusion paints your face.
>"Spike has been waiting on that first day of training for a while now, don't you think?"
>You had forgotten all about the little dragon.
>"Best not waste any time then," She finished with a warm smile and laughter in her eyes.
>The ornate double doors clacked shut behind you.
>Remembering your ruined helm in your hands, you realized just how much damage your armor had taken.
>Response time in your left leg was sluggish, giving you a limp. The fingers of your left-handed gauntlet only closed halfway. Several false muscle cables in your torso had unwound and come apart under the weight of fire.
>How you wished you had an artificer...
>But you have the next best thing!
>The doors flung wide to your personal treasure trove. Such an armory could equip half a company or more with-
>"Hello Chosen." A cheerful voice calls near the back of the spacious room.
>What in the Hells would Luna be doing here?
>"Why are you here?"
>Oh, just a little curious about all these beautiful suits of armor and weapons. Such lovely craftman ship..." She muses as she stares rather intently at a suit of Artificer armor. She idly tosses her nebulous hair over her other shoulder with her hoof as she turns back to you.
>Wait, what was-
>And then it's gone.
>"Something the matter Chosen?"
>Something had been resting on her shoulder. Something like a metal tentacle.
>But there was nothing there now.
>"It's nothing."
>"Your armor looks quite battered."
>"That's what I came to remedy."
>"I didn't realize you could fix something so complex as power armor."
>"I can't."
>With that, an awkward silence descended upon the room.
>Luna looked as if she wanted to say something, and indeed tried to start, but never got a full word or two out.
>"Speak," You command.
>"It's... erm, my sister... Well I guess I... No..."
>"SPEAK." You repeat, arms folded, annoyed by her hesitancy.
>"Sigh... It's nothing Chosen. Do not worry." She seems slightly deflated at these words.
>"As you say."
>You let the aborted conversation die as you hunt for an appropriate suit of armor and weapons.
>Seeing your preoccupation, Luna makes a rather silent exit.
>She tries once more to say something, but fails.
>You do not even turn to her as she finally leaves.
>Thankful that such impotent small-talk die, you finally find what you are looking for.
 
>He finally left.
>Striding through the doors, powered armor buzzing with each movement, not noticing you (or perhaps he simply didn't care). Another jump pack strapped to his back, he jumped from a high balcony, engines blazing away into the distance.
>Timidly you entered his closet.
>His broken armor sat, for the most part, upon a mannaquin, looking dejected, sullied, and damaged.
>With a thought, you turned a gauntlet in front of you.
>Cables lay bare and servos were shattered.
>Perhaps it could be repaired...
 
>The afternoon lay before you.
>Fresh armor had been a joy.
>It shared not your own plate's history of battles and challenges won, foes slain or worlds cowed with a mention of your legion's name, but it was whole and working perfectly.
>Defacing imperial insignia would take a little time, but you were likely to have an abundance of that.
>You did manage to pull your left pauldron off your armor, which bore your legion markings, and place it on the armor of a Black Templar.
>You chuckled under your helm as the mantra of the Templars flashed in your display with something along the lines of "Kill the Heretic".
>Oh, that Templar would spin in his grave if he knew you wore it.
>Ha!
>A familiar town finally appeared along a road you had followed before.
>And there lay the tree house where your little neophyte resided.
>A gentle touchdown and then you opened the door.
>As you stepped over the threshold, your boots slipped on the wet, half-cleaned wood and you fell to the floor.
>Up walked the dinosaur.
>"Chosen! Are you ok?" He inquired as you sat up.
>"I'm fine." You stated flatly as you pushed yourself off the floor. The Threshold was a mangled mess of splintered wood and mangled nails.
>Quick clip-clops heralded a rather upset purple unicorn.
>"What was- Oh, come on! I just had Spike wax the floor." She pouted angrily.
>You weren't hearing any the end of this, that's for sure.
>"Spike, get your training sword and meet me across from-"
>"No, no, no. Not today. Spike has to help me re-alphabetize the history section. You're not getting him today." Twilight stated, defiantly moving towards you.