The Steadfast Sky : Chapter 22
The Grey Potter
http://cosmicponyfanfiction.tumblr.com/

Today has been a very, very stupid day!

First doctor mister plastic smile asks me all kinds of dumb questions, half of which I can’t answer without his going “really?!” and “is that the truth?!” If it wasn’t, then why would I be telling you, huh?! Yes, my father was a baron. Yes, I’m from Canterbury. And yes, I’d been sleeping on the ground for the past couple weeks, and not because my sister didn’t love me, why do you keep insisting that?! This isn't really that weird and strange! Really!

Then he says, let’s put you in a class! So I go to class, and everyone’s like “woooah, you can hover stuff so easy!” And I say yes, yes I can hover things! Hovering is not hard! Sheesh, you guys live in a school, why haven’t you learned how to properly hover stuff yet? And yes, I know sonic magic, I know shadow magic too! Don’t you guys know at least one kind of magic already?!

Though, I guess I shouldn’t get mad at the other kids… some of them were really, really little. Like, really little. Half my age little. I’m not sure why I was put in a class with them, actually. But the teachers!!! Ooh, those teachers. All fussing over me, saying what my cutie mark should be. Luna, why on earth don’t you have a magic cutie mark yet? Shouldn’t you be magic? You have so much magic, do you know what a magic cutie mark is?

No, I don’t, and stop being all fawny pawny GRR! I wanted to just, just growl at someone! Rawr! Bark! I don’t know what my cutie mark is, and it isn’t magic, because I don’t like magic! Stop asking me about this!

But what really boils my cheese is that one teacher said “oh hey Luna, your stuff is in your own little cubbie right over there!” And I thought YES, first thing first, I need my Element back. I’ve gotten so used to having it around my neck, and I felt really naked without it. I don’t think I understood what being naked felt like until I started wearing clothes regularly… or… a necklace, regularly. Is a necklace clothes? ANYWAY.

My cheese is being boiled right now, because I searched through my bags, and all that was in there was the marbles! I rooted around the cloak, and it was the same thing!

Now that just is the cheese topping to a VERY VERY BAD DAY.

“Who took my necklace?!” I shouted, spinning around to the mostly empty bedroom place. “That was very very special to me, and whoever took is the biggest… big meanie head!”

The few fillies in the room looked over at me, muttering to themselves, shrugging denial.

Hopping cheese wheels, I just wanted to blast something right about then! I had already been warned once. Unauthorized use of magic… and you get THE CORNER. Fwah! The corner, oh no, I’m so scared! Also something something about privileges and you really don’t want to do that and whatever. I could give less of a care, but Tia’s always telling me, Luna, be a lady, ladies don’t blast things. And my lack of ladylikeness is what got us all separated in the first place. So no blasting. For now. Not until I find my sister, who, for some weird reason, isn’t here.

In a huff, I bucked the cubbie. It didn’t make me feel any better. In fact, it kind’ve made my hoof hurt.

One of the older students approached me, hesitant.

“I can take you to the lost and found, if you’d like…” she said carefully.

“Yes!” I declared, “Take me to that place!”

And so, I was promptly taken. It was down the stairs and in one of the teacher’s offices, I dunno which one. It wasn’t a very nice place compared to Pocket’s office. It was smaller and the furniture wasn’t nearly as nice. But I didn’t care, as soon as she popped open the little chest that was supposed to be lost and found, I dove in. A doll, a hat, an old shoe… but no necklace!

“I’m sorry it’s not here,” the teacher stammered, “Maybe it’ll turn up another time. Why don’t you go and have some dinner, or—”

“But I need it!” I cried. No! Retorted! “It’s important now!”

“I’m sorry!” And somehow, I was forced back into the hall, still stewing, still without my Element.

I felt like crying.

But no!

I snorted that away and strode down the hall. There was still one more place to look! I found the proper door and I bucked it right open!

“Mr. Pockets!” I declared. “I can’t find my necklace!”

“Luna! What are you doing here?!”

So, by the time I arrived, it was already pretty late afternoon. It was almost time to turn on some lights, which Mr. Pockets hadn’t done yet. Also, he wasn’t alone. Another big purple pony stood by his desk, covered in a simple black… no, a dark red cloak with a gold trim. She turned to me, and I could see that she was a she, and also a unicorn! I wondered if she was a teacher, but that was silly, because this was the first time I had ever seen her.

“I just said I’m—!” I shouted, then gasped. As I stepped into the office, there was a small flash of gold. Was it...?! I had to make sure! I ran right up to the desk, propped myself up, and there it was!

“My necklace! Finally!” I reached out to grab it with my aura, shouting a quick thanks. But then something crazy happened. My aura was overridden! A deep red glow surrounded the Element and yanked it away, moving to hover beside Pocket’s head. “What’s the big idea?!” I snapped, “That’s mine, give it back!”

“Luna…” Pockets said, peering over his glasses with a warning in his voice, “The adults are having a conversation here…”

“I’ll be outta your mane in a second, just give me back my necklace!” I reached out for it, mixing the auras, and trying to tug the Element away. But Pockets resisted, pulling it back.

“This is a very valuable, very old piece of jewelry, Luna!” he said. “I wouldn’t want you to be upset if it gets lost or stolen, let us take care of it for you—!”

“That’s my problem, let ME deal with it!”

“Stop, Luna, stop!” His head tilted forward a little as my horn began to glow more brightly, voice becoming strained. “You’re going to break it! You don’t want that to happen, do you?!”

“No, YOU’RE going to break it!”

I yanked at the necklace, and Pockets’ head and shoulders were pulled forward, struggling to steady himself on the desk, eyes wide.

“Fascinating.”

Startled, I let go of the Element. Pockets tumbled backward, throwing out his hooves for balance. I stared at the purple pony, who was looking down at me over the bridge of her nose.

“What is?” I demanded.

“How old are you child?” she asked.

I pouted, glaring at her stupid... haughty attitude, “You didn’t tell me what was fascinating!”

“Now Luna…” Pockets interjected, creepy smile creeping back. “Why don’t you leave the adults be? Go get some dinner, I’m sure you’re hungry from such a long and stressful day.”

“It was only stressful because I didn’t have my necklace!” I shouted back, stomping a hoof, “It’s very important to me, so give it back!”

“No,” he snapped. Then, Pockets ignored me! He popped open a drawer in his desk, making to drop the necklace inside.

“But that’s—!”

“Pockets.” The purple pony stepped forward. “Are you trying to stow the item?” Pockets hesitated, and in that hesitation the purple pony snatched the necklace away, hovering it beside her.

“Applebark, please,” Pockets pleaded, still displaying his fake smile. “Can’t you see the child is upset? Let’s leave the adult matters until she is gone.”

“NO!” I screamed, “No, give me it now! Or, or I’ll!—“ I revved up a spell, any spell. Screw being ladylike! They cant keep what belongs to me from me!

“Luna!” Pockets cried, attention snapping back to me. “Luna, what would your father think of such a display?!”

“My father isn’t here! That’s a silly thing to bring up!”

“But he is!” What? My spell instantly dropped, and Pockets fakey smile got a little wider. “I thought it was very strange when you said you were a baroness. Helios family, very confidently. The name seemed familiar, so I asked around.” He leaned over his desk. “It seems like there’s a Helios in this city. One, strangely enough, from Canterbury.”

“Really?” I stared at Pockets. My father… here? How did he get here? Did he... run away with mom? Is this what happens to ponies that get picked out after dark...?

“Now, I’m trying to get in contact with him,” Pockets continued. “Do you really want the first thing to hear, after so long, is that his daughter is recklessly harming other ponies?”

I stared at my hooves, still sorting out my brain, feeling empty, weird...

“I…”

“Now how about we ask him when he gets here if you can keep the necklace or not. Can I just keep it safe until then, Luna?” It was that baby voice again, that little voice for little foals. I frowned, refusing to look at him. “Will you allow me to keep this for now?”

I looked up, but not far, staring at the finish on his desk, brain still tumbling around, like it was rolling down a big, steep hill. My father? My father...?

“I… I guess?” I stumbled, unable, unsure of what exactly to say.

“So Applebark.” Pockets said sweetly. “Give the necklace here.” Now I looked up all the way, confused, at Applebark. It was getting really dark, but I could see that she had a look on her face. A very, very sour look.

“I said that I would be—”

“Now Applebark!” Pockets exclaimed. “Don’t upset the little filly further! It is hers, after all.”

Her sour look got even more sourer. With a face that looked like she might spit, she half threw it onto the desk. Pockets instantly wrenched it away and swept it towards his open drawer. In his haste, the necklace tumbled past and fell to the ground, clinking softly. I stared at it. Pockets closed his drawer, not even noticing that the Element had fallen. He just...

My face snapped down into an even tighter frown. How could he treat my necklace that way?! Thinking he’s gonna keep it safe better than I would, and he just lets it fall down like that?!

“I’ll be leaving,” Applebark snapped, spinning around.

“Let me show you out!” Pockets shot up, and I watched his feet as they passed over my necklace, almost stepping on it in his haste. “Come along Luna!” he said behind me. I heard the door open...

That’s it!

I yanked the Element to me, snapped it around my leg, and instantly coated it in shadows, blending it right into my dark fur. Only seconds later, Pockets turned back and waved me forward. I did so, covering my horn in shadows, trying to block out its light. And then I was in the hall, and walking upstairs, totally and completely ignored by everybody.

I nodded proudly to myself. Victory!

It was night, and pretty late at night. I could hear everyone around me shifting and snoring in their beds, me sitting in my own, blankets pulled over my head. I had removed the shadows from my eyes, was was nudging my Element with my nose. Just thinking...

I can’t sleep. I’m not afraid of the dark but… I had gotten so used to having Celestia beside me, using me as a pillow, or whatever Discord wanted to call it. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine her beside me, breathing lightly, but it only made me feel all alone.

Where are you guys? Where could you have gone? Can you rescue me from this weird place?

Or… do I want to be rescued? From this place, definitely, totally, it’s really dumb here. But… my father’s here, in this city? Is this is what happens to ponies that get caught in Canterbury? Do they get taken out of the city, shipped here, or all over Equestria? I imagined the pain on Discord’s face… how he refused to meet my eyes. Is this the huge secret he was so eager to avoid? Somehow, it didn’t seem... bad enough, I guess.

But another thing was... Do I want to see my father again? I closed my eyes really hard, trying to imagine what he looked like. It was so, so long ago… He was the same color as me, definitely. And he was really, really big. I remember his feet especially, his really shiny hooves, how smooth they were. I must have been still a foal the last time I had seen him. No face came to me, no mane color or clothes. I couldn’t even remember a cutie mark.

I nuzzle my Element again. My friends are my family now, really. They’re all I need.

But… My father?

I scrunch up my face. This is not the time to get all… tangled and silly! My friends aren’t here… so where are they? Why haven’t the come to get me yet?

Then it clicked! Maybe they don’t know where I am!

Well... I have a good way to help them find me!

I flung off my sheets, pulling the Element around my neck. I snuck out of the room, peering down the corridors. Empty! Good! I dashed across the hall and propped myself up to the window, pushing my feelings into the Element. Not enough to make a beam, but quite a lot, making it glow, warm and bright against my neck.

I’m here guys! I’m here! Please come get me, please come find me!

I don’t know how long I did this for, nonstop, but it was important that they saw. The city may be really, really big… but I’m near the top! Please, let this light shine far enough for them both to see it!

I squeaked as I heard footsteps. Instantly, I dropped the spell, hiding under some shadows. A teacher trotted by and looked around, puzzled. He left, I unhid myself, and went back to the window to make the Element glow again.

Celestia! Discord!

I’m here!