Chpt 3- Memory
#3 of MLP: A Hero's Rebirth
Six ponies and one human made their way into the deeper part of the Everfree Forest. Rainbow Dash flies over the trees, relaying anything she may see to those on the ground. It took the group sometime before they arrive where the Hydra attacked Tom and Twilight the night prior.
"Ok here is where I ran into Star before the Hydra attacked and he tossed it away. So we should start looking here and see if there is anything out of the ordinary." Twilight trotted around, looking through bushes and shrubs in hopes of finding any kind of reason for Tom being there.
"This is getting us nowhere. Twilight there is nothing here."
"I am afraid I must agree Twilight. If there was anything out here it is probably gone by now." Rarity spoke as she walked up beside Rainbow Dash.
"Well then why would she send us out here if there wasn't anything to find?"
"I think she may have felt my arrival and that was it Twi." He walked over to the unicorn and patted her shoulder.
A roar sounds through out the forest. Tom face-palms and groans. "Not this again. Really? It's like something our of a bad cartoon show.... erm no offense."
Storming out of the trees the Hydra again appears. All four heads roar in unison. "You again? Didn't you get the hint."
"You guys make a break for it, I'll hold it off." Rainbow flies towards the massive beast but was soon stopped. A magic aura holds fast to her tail. "Hey what's the big I...dea?" She looked back to see Tom holding her with his magic, his eyes glowing white.
"No Rainbow Dash. I can not allow you to place yourself at risk." His voice as the girls could tell was not his own. He pulled his hand back and brought the pegasus to him. "Everypony, draw near I am going to generate a mass teleport."
"Wait what? I thought you didn't know any spells, How are you going to do that if you don't know what to focus on?" But Twilight's words fell on deaf ears as now both his hands glowed, Bringing them up over his head.
"Everypony quick, get close to Star." All six formed a circle around the human. Tom then brought his hands down and spread them apart, forming a barrier around them all and in a flash of light, they were gone.
By now it was no longer a surprise to Celestia or Luna that they felt Lunar's power surges. They both knew he was alive but neither knew what form he had take. For all their knowledge he was just as they remembered him, as an Alicorn.
"Your majesty!"
"Hmm? oh, yes forgive me Lord Brighthoof you were talking about a recent outbreak of the Feather Flu in Manehatten." Celestia's mind was anywhere but where it should be at the moment.
"Yes your highness. It has spread throughout the lower districts. Mostly among the middle class."
"I see. I will send some of the best doctors i can offer to stop the virus from spreading any further." The stallion bowed his head to her statement.
"Thank you you majesty."
With another blinding flash, the seven of them appeared back in the library. Books and papers whip around the room in the massive amount of magic that was used.
"My goodness is this what it feels like when you try this Twilight?" Rarity places a hoof to her head as she steadied herself.
"No, I mean i don't think I've ever used that amount of magic before."
"Well at least we're out'a there in one piece."
"Speak for yourself Applejack. I would have clobbered that stupid Hydra if magic colt here didn't stop me." She pointed to Tom but as she turned to look at him, he just stood there in a daze.
"Hey are you alright sugarcube?" He didn't respond.
Soon enough though his body fell but was quickly caught by Twilight's magic. "Oh my, this seems to happen when he uses his magic by reflex. I'm not sure what the make of it. It seems like when anypony's life is in danger he goes into some kind of altered state and preforms spells that he has no knowledge of."
"Do you think he'll be ok Twilight. I would hate to see him get hurt just for saving us." Fluttershy spoke in a soft toner.
"No I don't think it's an injury but it is strange. Did anypony else notice his voice change when it happened?" Twilight looked to the others and each one nodded in agreement. "Strange, I wonder if the princess would know something about it."
Dear Princess Celestia.
_ I am writing to you to report that we have not found anything of significants within the Everfree Forest. However last evening as I was coming home from a friends house I ran into a very odd creature, a human to be exact. We were both attacked by a Hydra and to my amazement, he was able to use magic. I maybe a little off in saying this but from the myths I have read, nothing said anything about humans using magic. Also it seems when he uses his magic on pure instinct he looses consciousness and dose not wake till hours later only to not be able to recall what had happened prior. I am not sure what to make of this and hope you might know something as to the reason he is here._
Your faithful student
Twilight Sparkle
Celestia reads over the letter she had just received from her student. Her eyes grew. "That must be the reason for the power surges we had been feeling." Celestia flew out of her room and through the castle, galloping at great speed. Something was giving speed to her stride. She quickly rounded the corner after a long hall and charged up the stairs. After she had reached the top she knocked quickly against the large doors.
"Your highness the princess slumbers." One of the night guards stepped from the side.
She shot the dragon winged pegasus a stern glare to which he returned to his post. Again she knocked on the door. Slowly it opened and a very tired Luna steps out. She yawns deeply and her eyes hung droopily. "Sister it is not time for us to be awoken yet. Why has thou roused us from our slumber?"
She quickly pushed Luna into her room and closed the door behind her. "Tia we demand to know what cause thou has for thy actions?" The sun princess then showed her sister the letter she had just received from her student. Upon reading it the moon princess's jaw dropped.
"Can this be? The power signatures we felt from the Everfree Forest and Ponyville, they came from this human?" Celestia said nothing just stood there in mute surrender. "Sister...?" Luna walked over to her elder sister and again noticed the faint glistening of tears in her eyes.
"After well over a thousand years Luna. He's come back to us." Luna nuzzled her sister's side.
"Sister is thou sure that this human is the incarnation of our dearest friend?"
"There can be no doubt Luna, it all fits. Twilight stated that she met him last evening which was when we felt the first signs that he might be here. When it ended, that must have been when he collapsed."
"Sister I know what thou said about waiting for him to come before us. but in light of this evidence my we say that it would be foalish to tarry longer." Celestia could not help but agree with her sister. They would both go. For they had to be there and see him with there own eyes.
"I shall write Twilight and tell her of our arrival. Make sure everything is prepared for our departure."
Tom woke from his sleep only to see that he was not in his room nor Twilight's. He was on a battle field surrounded by dead ponies and what looked like panthers. A pegasus dressed in golden armor rushed to his side.
"My Lord are you injured?"
"What? N-no I'm fine commander, what of our forces?" As he spoke he realized it was not his own voice but that of someone else. It was as if he were dreaming but if this were a dream, why is it he's dreaming of ponies?
"We have advanced on all fronts. It would seem as though the panther's are retreating back to their fortress. Might I make a suggestion sir?"
"Speak."
"If we rook a small strike team, we might be able to infiltrate their stronghold and open the gates from the inside, allowing our forces to swam in and end this war."
Tom thought for a moment than nodded his head. "Make it so but be discreet about it. We do not wish to loose anymore of our brothers or sisters."
Wish a dip of his head the pegasus flew off into the smoke filled skies of the late afternoon sun. "Lunar!" Tom turned his head skyward and saw two pegasi coming towards him but they weren't pegasi, they were the Princesses Celestia and Luna. Both were clad in armor from their heads to their hind legs. As they landed, Celestia trotted up to him and nuzzled under his chin.
"After that blast we assumed the worst. Luna and I are both relieved to see you are not hurt."
Tom felt himself chuckle. "No simple magic blast could stop me. Now come on we have a war to win."
Tom felt wings beat on either side of him, slowly lifting him up into the air. Celestia and Luna soon followed. As he rose higher, everything seemed to slow down, almost as if it were recorded by a slow motion camera. He turned around only to see a spear coming for Celestia. In an instant he pushed her out of the way and the spear struck him with such force that it threw him to the ground.
He bounced with the force of the impact and then slid along the ground. He could hear muffled cries of his name yet all he saw what the battered sky. Then he saw both Celestia and Luna looking down to him. They were yelling for soldiers.
"Sir Lunar is down. Squadron B protect him and the princesses at all cost." Several pegasi and unicorn soldiers surrounded him and both Luna and Celestia. The last things he could hear were the cries of the distraught mares before him and Celestia's words, pleading for him to hold on. Then everything went black.
Tom slowly woke from his sleep to the sound of beeping. "Great, I'm in a hospital"
"Ponyville General to be exact."
"How did I get here?" As his vision slowly came into focus he could see Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie around his bed. But there were two other who stood behind them, Princess Celestia and Luna.
"Well after you lost consciousness, your friends brought you here." A brown stallion in a doctor's coat stepped forward.
"How long was I out?"
"About two days." The doctor replied.
"Two days?!" Tom quickly rose but then suddenly fell back holding his head.
"Come now darling the doctor said you should not move too fast or you will pass out again." Rarity hopped up onto her hind legs and slowly eased him back into his spot on the bed.
"How long should he stay here doctor?" Twilight turned to speak to him.
"Well I suppose he can be released later today but he has to remain in bed and get plenty of fluids till then." He then left, leaving the human with eight mares.
Tom looked between each of them and then stopped his eyes on Celestia. "I'm sorry to ask this but would it be possible if I might speak to Princess Celestia in private."
The six friends look to each other then nodded before walking out of the room. Luna looked to her sister. "I'll be fine Luna, don't worry." Luna then nodded and joined the others. "Twilight has told me how you know of our world. I must say that is a rather odd story."
"It's all true your highness."
"Still I am unable to understand your purpose here. You say you have no idea other then what was said to you?" Tom nodded.
"Stranger still is that you can use magic."
She walked over and stood beside him and even though she was a pony, he felt himself attracted to her. Everything she stood for, her grace and poise. Her sear kindness and dignity, he loved it all. He then recalled his dream and wondered if it was even a dream. To try his luck he asked her a simple question.
"You loved him, didn't you?"
"Whom are you reffering to?" She looked to him with a quizzical stare.
"Lunar..."
The princess nearly toppled over as her eyes grew wide. "How...how did you know that name?"
"While I was out. I had a dream but it wasn't like any I had before. This felt real, like it was... a memory." He looked to the sun princess and saw that her eyes where glistening in the light of the room.
"You loved him. He gave his life to protect you from that spear and shielded you. But no matter how much you cared for him... he was taken from you. I watched as you wept over him. I saw it like... like I was there. He was your champion, your friend, your lover."
Tears streamed down her face. Her head hung and her eyes were closed. It was then she felt a gentle hand against her cheek and she gasped opening her eyes and staring at him. Tom smiled softly to her and she quickly nuzzled into his palm.
"Please don't cry princess." He removed his hand from her cheek and moved slowly, sliding along the bed.
"Please you musn't move or you will collapse again."
"I will be fine." He sat on the side of the bed then slowly put his feet to the floor and pushed off the bed standing before her. His irises were not their normal brown but instead were a shade of purple. He then brought his hands to her head and held it within his palms.
"Please don't cry princess. I may not remember much but I do know one thing. The feelings i am getting are real." He chuckled softly. "Its silly I know. We have only just met and yet here I am talking to you as though I have known you all my life."
Celestia could say nothing, her heart was beating so hard she feared it might burst from her chest.
"But... maybe I do." He shook his head. "I love you."
Tom leaned in close to the Alicorn princess, so close that their lips grazed acrossed each other before they locked. Celestia was a bit is shock but soon melted into the kiss and close her eyes, enjoying the moment.