Cessily shook her head as she closed the hospital door behind herself. She and the Pegasus C.W.G. officer had taken Steady Hoof and checked her into the Mental Health Ward at the Hospital. The poor mare had not stopped sobbing the whole time, and since none of her friends or family had the time to keep an eye on her, the Hospital was the best choice. Cessily had voiced her concern for the physical well-being of the distraught mare and had received promises of observation from the staff. Steady Hoof was well liked by everybody at the Hospital and Cessily had no doubts she would be looked after.

The Pegasus officer had already departed, stating a need to report to the on-duty C.O. Cessily strode purposefully down the hallways toward the Intensive Care Unit with her fists clenched tightly. She spotted one of the Canterlot doctors at the nurse's station in the I.C.U. and waved to her, "Hey!" she yelled jogging up to her.

The gray mare wearing the white lab coat turned her head and looked at Cessily with a puzzled expression, "How can I help you ma'am?"

"Where is the Bloodmages mare who was beaten? I believe her name was Midnight Mist or something?" Cessily asked scratching the back of her head.

The doctor shook her head, "I'm sorry ma'am, but in this Hospital that information is restricted to family members only and I KNOW you're not a family member."

Cessily sighed, shook her head in exasperation, and rolled her eyes, "Look, I'm a member of the Community Welfare Guardians. Just tell me where she is."

The doctor turned her whole body toward Cessily and looked her square in the eyes, "I know who you are, ma'am, and I know you just checked in Doctor Steady Hoof, who was also a mind slave to the mare in question." The doctor smirked, "News like that travels fast. That being the case, I do not care who you are and even if you brought one of the Princesses, I still would not tell you. I am sorry, but Doctor Jewel runs a tight hospital and while I am here I will follow his instructions and abide by his rules so long as they do no harm to any patient." The mare raised her head and set her jaw, "If you ask again or if you attempt to force me to reveal such information I will call our on-duty officer. Now, was there anything else I can help you with."

Cessily crossed her arms and huffed indignantly, "Fine." She heaved a sigh, "No, you're right. I'm upset." She looked down and scuffed her right foot on the floor, "I'm sorry to have bothered you with this. You were right not to tell me." Cessily turned and left the hospital, fists clenching and unclenching as she went..

* * *

Starburst was a nervous wreck, 'There are Unicorns EVERYWHERE!' He trotted down the street with his head held low, his ears laid back, and his tail as far between his hind legs as he could get it. The hulking form of Kolo Calvin walked in front of him with his Earth Pony girlfriend trotting next to him and Starburst following behind them.

Starburst had spent the previous four days cooped up inside the house he shared with Kolo, Buzz Butter, Tina Pho and her baby Adam Merlin Pho. Tina had not said a single word to Starburst the entire time, and she kept her baby away from him as well. Starburst had attempted to speak to her several times but every single time she had ignored him. She treated him as if he didn't exist and he had heard several arguments between she and Kolo about him staying there. Kolo had defended Starburst, but Tina's anger was fiery and fierce.

Kolo and Buzz Butter had invited Starburst out to lunch with them. The young Pegasus stallion was reluctant but willing to go with them. He had been doing nothing of his own anyway. He had been thinking of what he even COULD do. His cutie mark was specifically for Blood Magic research. The realization of his uselessness weighed heavily on him, 'Did I do the right thing?' He wondered, 'How am I supposed to do what I'm meant to do... when what I do is illegal?' His thoughts on the subject had become circular, spiraling him downward into a depression. Even outside the house, he felt as if everybody was watching him, judging him. He saw them look at Kolo and Buzz Butter then their eyes invariably wandered to him and their expressions changed. He couldn't keep his eyes on any of them and every Unicorn he saw made him feel guilty. He wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear, 'I did the right thing and THIS is the reward I get?' He bit his lower lip, 'No, I can't think like that... they just need time to see... oh who am I kidding... all they see is another Bloodmage.'

"You alright Starburst?" Kolo asked, "You're looking kind of sad there."

Starburst shook his head, "I'm alright."

"Did the Princess find your parents yet?" Buzz Butter asked, "She said she was going to look into it right?"

Starburst nodded, "Yes. There hasn't been any indication that she has though." He chuckled darkly, "It isn't likely to be easy either. I don't even know if Starburst is even my given name. The Princess seemed to think that Midnight Haze changed my name for some reason."

Buzz Butter tilted her head in confusion, "Why would she do that?" She stepped around a mare and a stallion who were walking down the cobblestone street side by side.

Starburst stepped to the side, away from the couple. The mare was a Unicorn. He eyed her warily and kept his head low, "I don't know." he said in what was almost a whisper, "I thought I knew her but... she wasn't the Pony I thought she was. She's a heartless fiend who orchestrates kidnappings and massacres. She took me away from our parents... no MY parents." he said angrily, "She's not my sister anymore. I hate her. I hope she dies in the hospital."

Kolo and Buzz Butter exchanged a worried look as they neared The Melting Pot. Kolo held the door for his girlfriend and Starburst before entering the restaurant himself. As luck would have it, the waitress who approached them first was a molasses brown Unicorn mare with an orange mane and tail, "Hello and welcome to The Melting Pot, the first and only restaurant to offer authentic Human and Changeling cuisine. Would you prefer a table, a booth, or would you like to sit at the bar?"

"It's up to our guest here." Kolo said gesturing to Starburst.

The young stallion looked up nervously. He had no memory of ever being at a restaurant before. All he could remember was eating with his sister and occasionally the Grand Magus. Suddenly he was being served by a Unicorn who had asked where HE wanted everybody to sit. He had no more idea where he wanted to sit than he knew how to shave a mouse.

"Uh..." he looked around trying to figure out what he wanted to do. He spotted a table by one of the large windows. He liked being outside where he could see the sky, but the thought of Ponies walking by and seeing him frightened him terribly. Looking at the bar he realized he would have to sit with his back to the door and somepony could come in and sneak up behind him. He looked to the booths and his mind immediately went to the fact that he could be backed into a corner easily. The tables in the middle of the floor were no better. If he sat there everybody could stare at him. He could already imagine their eyes on him, their judgmental eyes and quiet whispers. At least in a booth he might go unnoticed, "A-a booth works fine." He tried not to speak any differently to the Unicorn. Kolo and Buzz Butter had told him over and over that the Unicorns were just like Pegasi and Earth Ponies, but he had yet to see it for himself. Due to his self-imposed isolation, he had not really met any yet, he had only seen them from a distance. Every time he saw one his eyes went straight to their horns to see if they might have been trying to use their magic to control the minds of everybody around them. Every time he saw a Unicorn with their horn lit up he flinched or cringed in fear.

The Unicorn mare's horn lit up and Starburst startled, his fears igniting like a gasoline drenched mound of seasoned tinder. He crouched down and quickly backed away until his backside was against the door. The Unicorn mare stopped and stared at Starburst with concern, "I-is something wrong sir?"

Starburst didn't move a muscle. His eyes were fixed on the mare's horn. Kolo realized what the problem was and knelt down, motioning for the mare to come to him. He cupped his hands and whispered into her ear for a few seconds. The mare's eyes widened and her horn extinguished, "Oh I am so sorry sir!" she apologized quickly, "I had no idea you were Thaumaphobic. I won't use my magic around you, sir. Again, I apologize for that." She smiled nervously at Starburst.

Starburst swallowed hard and nodded his head slightly. His eyes drifted around the room to the eyes of all the other patrons that were staring at him because of the scene he had made. He felt the weight of their judgmental stares on him. It was too much, "I'm sorry." he said and quickly bolted back out the doors.

He galloped down the street trying to spot Kolo's house again, but every home looked so similar to him. He was used to knowing where everybody lived. Within the caves he knew his way around but outside all the houses looked the same. He didn't know what details to look for and he quickly lost his way. He galloped wildly down the street looking left and right trying to spot any detail that might give him a clue as to where he might have been. He dared not take wing, seeing the town from above would only serve to confuse him more.

In a flash of dark blue, Starburst felt an impact against the side of his head. He stumbled and rolled while dark blue fabric encircled and encompassed him. He came to a stop and lay still, breathing heavily, 'I knew they would never accept me, no matter what I did. I saw the hate in their eyes, every one of them. Their hatred is so strong just being associated with Bloodmages is enough for them to hate me. Did they finally decide to get rid of me? Am I already in a bag to be tied and thrown into a river to drown?' Had he been thinking clearly he would have known he was being paranoid. Unfortunately his intense and festering fear had stolen away his rationale. He had days for his fear to intensify and it was manifesting itself with a vengeance. His thoughts and fears rolled around in his mind, twisting and spinning as his fear multiplied. He struggled wildly trying to free himself. He flailed all four of his hooves, his head, and both his wings but he could do nothing. He was trapped firmly. The memory images of everybody on the street seemed to snap into focus in his mind's eye. The weight of their gazes weighing him down as he felt their anger, their hatred for his kind, 'It isn't fair! I helped them get their people back! I did the right thing!' He felt something grab him from the outside of the fabric, "No! Get away! Let me go! Let me go!"

A feminine voice addressed him sharply, "Hold still! I'm trying to untangle you!"

'Yeah right!' Starburst thought bitterly, 'You just want me to be quiet while you take me! The Captain would help me, but my voice would be muffled! What can I do!?' Starburst felt something push against his muzzle, 'They're trying to smother me!' In an instant he opened his mouth and bit down as hard as he could. If he was going to be killed he wouldn't make it easy for them. He had been constantly afraid for his life ever since he had come to New Humansville. He saw the looks, he heard the whispers from his window facing the street. He couldn't hear most of the words, but it was easy for him to imagine what they were talking about. Everybody had been talking about how terrible the Bloodmages were, how they should suffer a thousand different torments and deaths. The smiles had not fooled him, he knew what they really thought. He had quickly realized he had no chance to be accepted so long as anybody knew where he had come from. His betrayal of the other Bloodmages had not been enough, 'They only see a Bloodmage when they see me! Curse you Midnight Haze! I hate you! I hate you!'

He heard a shrill scream as he bit down. He felt the crunch of bones breaking between his teeth. The sound disgusted and satisfied him at the same time, 'Good!' He thought bitterly, 'I hope it hurts! I betrayed them and I let you kill them because I thought it was the right thing to do and now you show your true colors! Scream all you want, it'll bring the Captain if it's loud enough! The Captain will save me!' He ground his teeth back and forth and was rewarded with another shrill, pleading cry.

Starburst heard heavy steps running toward him, "What's going on here!?" the masculine voice asked. Starburst's heart soared, 'The Captain! I'm saved!' He opened his mouth and used his tongue to push the limb out of his mouth, "I'm here Captain! I'm in the bag!" He yelled.

The masculine voice spoke again, "Her fingers are broken! Get her to the Hospital!"

Starburst felt betrayed, 'Captain... no. Is he with them?' He felt himself tear up at the sting of betrayal, 'I... I thought you would help me...' A moment later the fabric around him unraveled and dumped him out on the ground roughly. He looked up to the face of the Unicorn officer standing above him. The officer's face was obscured by his visor, but the hole in the armor around his horn was easily visible. Starburst's heart sank as the Unicorn's horn lit up, 'I'm done for.' He felt the touch of the magic on his body and he quickly blacked out.

* * *

Starburst slowly opened his eyes. He was staring up at a stone ceiling. He blinked sleepily and sat up, noticing almost instantly that he was lying on a bed in somebody's home. He looked around but while the basic shape of the room was familiar, the items in the room were foreign to him.

"So you finally woke up." A feminine voice spoke softly from across the room, "Starburst right?"

Starburst's ears followed the voice and his head followed his ears. Sitting on the floor next to the door of the room was a Human woman. She had dark colored skin and her hair was arranged in long dreadlocks. Her face and voice seemed familiar to Starburst, but he was at a loss as to where he had met her before, "What happened?" he asked hesitantly.

"You passed out when the officer levitated you. He untangled you and was only trying to set you down on your hooves." The woman replied.

"Where am I?" Starburst asked fearfully.

"You're in my room. I share this house with four others, but they're all out right now." the woman said quietly.

Starburst stiffened, "Are... are you going to... kill me?"

The woman sighed and rolled her eyes, "No. I'm not going to kill you and neither is anybody else." She lapsed into silence briefly before continuing, "You made quite a scene today, you know that?" She shook her head sadly, "Why did you bite?"

"They were trying to stuff me in a sack!" Starburst spat, "I've seen the way everybody stares at me! They know who I am and they all hate me!"

The woman sighed and rested her head in her right hand. Starburst's eyes widened when he saw her hand. Her right hand was wrapped in thick bandages, "What happened to your paw... sorry, your hand? I'm still getting used to using all your Human terms."

The woman raised her head and regarded her hand for a moment, "I was trying to help somebody and it got broken... I'm not sure if it was an accident or intentional."

Starburst's ears laid back against his skull, "Well that wasn't very nice of them. You were only trying to help."

The woman let out a humorless chuckle, "I think it may have been a misunderstanding. It was a Pony. He got scared and he... I'm pretty sure he just reacted badly. He always seemed nice, to me."

Starburst cleared his throat, "I'm sorry, where are my manner. I'm..."

"Starburst," the woman said quickly, "I said your name when you first woke up remember?"

Starburst felt like a fool, "You did, sorry about that. May I have your name?"

The woman gave him a small smile, "My birth name doesn't matter anymore. Call me Full Spectrum."

Starburst's ears sprang up, "You were one of the Humans who captured me outside the safe house. I remember you now."

Full Spectrum nodded, "Yeah I was there." She shifted her butt on the floor, "So Starburst, what makes you think that everybody is plotting against you?"

Starburst rolled over onto his stomach and tucked his forelegs under his body, "The Human, Kolo, has let me stay with him as a guest. He and his housemates let me sleep in the one spare room in the house. I'm a Pegasus so I like the breeze and of course I leave my window open all the time. I haven't left their house for the past several days. I've been up in the room trying to understand what everypony told me about Unicorns... but... it's hard to unlearn what you've been taught all your life." He sighed and looked down at the bedspread he was lying on, "I sometimes hear Humans and Ponies talking about Bloodmages when they walk by. Sometimes when they talk about the Bloodmages they say things..." Starburst trailed off quietly.

"What kinds of things?" Full Spectrum asked.

Starburst laid his ears back and lowered his chin between his forelegs, "The kinds of things Midnight Haze said about Unicorns and other Ponies who live with them." He paused briefly before continuing, "Hurtful things, angry things... sometimes even hateful things..."

"Go on." Full Spectrum urged him.

Starburst closed his eyes and tilted his head away from her, "I don't want to get anypony in trouble." He said softly, "You're willing to let me stay here and I... I don't want to make anypony upset with me."

Full Spectrum heaved a loud sigh, "Let's try to look at this from a different angle then. What led up to you barreling down the street today?"

Starburst turned his head and opened his eyes, looking at the young woman, "Well Kolo and Buzz Butter offered to buy my lunch at... I think they called it a restaurant... anyway they offered to buy me lunch. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go because of what I'd been hearing from my window but they insisted so I said I would go with them. The main reason I went was so I wouldn't be in the house with Tina. She doesn't like me... at all. I sometimes hear her yelling at Kolo about letting me stay in the house. I know she doesn't want me there but... but I have nowhere else to go."

Starburst shook his head and continued, "I was walking down the street and I saw everypony staring at me. I mean every... single... Pony." Starburst's face contorted in hurt, "I know what they were thinking too, I heard the whispers. They were all thinking that I shouldn't be here, about what they would do to me if they got me alone." He angrily stomped his right forehoof against the bed, "Kolo and Buzz Butter asked if I was alright. I wanted to tell them but they were already doing something nice for me I-I-I didn't want to be a burden." He looked at Full Spectrum with sad eyes, "We made it to the... to the place and there was a Unicorn who asked where we wanted to sit. Kolo gave me the choice, I think he was trying to be nice, he and Buzz Butter have always been nice to me. I-I-I-I couldn't decide where I wanted to sit. If I sat by the windows everypony would stare at me. If I sat on the stools everypony could sneak up behind me. If I sat in a booth I would be trapped. I-I think I decided something, although I can't even remember what I said, and then the Unicorn, she lights up her horn..." Starburst lowered his head, "I just got so scared when I saw her do that... it was too much, so I ran."

He snorted derisively at himself, "That was a stupid thing to do." He looked back up at Full Spectrum, "I got lost. I don't know my way around here and every house looks the same. I passed more Ponies and they were all staring at me. I just became more and more scared and then I..." he closed his eyes and took a breath, "Looking back I probably ran into somepony when the bag fell on me." he planted his head against the blue bedspread, "I thought somepony was going to do... something to me... I was stupid, this was all my fault."

"I don't belong here." He huffed out a resigned sigh, "I've got no reason to be here, I'm useless here. I got my cutie mark in Blood Magic research and now I'm in a place where it's illegal. I can't practice what I'm meant to do. I don't have a place here." Starburst shook his head slowly, "I need to leave here."

He quickly rose to his hooves and hopped down onto the floor, "I don't regret helping you work against the other Bloodmages so please don't think that." He began pacing back and forth in front of Full Spectrum, "What they were doing, it-it had to be stopped... and I couldn't just ignore it..." he turned his head and looked out the window of the room, "There was a whole world that I'd been told was full of Ponies who were being controlled by magic, by Unicorns, and that they were always hunting us because they hated the fact that somepony else discovered a new type of magic."

He hung his head, "And then I find out it was a lie..."

Full Spectrum bit the tip of her tongue trying to figure out what to say. Starburst looked so sad, "Your sister..."

"She is NOT my sister!" Starburst shouted turning back toward her, "She's a heartless monster! She took me away from my parents, she lied to me, she orchestrated the deaths of..." he shook his head again, "I hate her!" He looked back toward the window, his eyebrows knitting together, "I hate her and I want to see her suffer for what she's done... but I can't stay here. I have to go somewhere else. I need to be somewhere where I can do what it is that I'm meant to do."

He looked back to Full Spectrum, "Besides... I hurt somepony today. I was scared and I hurt somepony who was, in all likelihood, only trying to help. I know it was a mare, but I don't know her face or even her name. She didn't deserve what I did." He huffed, irritated, "You've been very kind to me Full Spectrum. I shouldn't have dumped all my problems on you." He trotted toward the door, "I should go. I need to tell Kolo and Buzz Butter that I'm leaving..."

He reached for the door lever but a bandaged hand slapped the door right in front of his face, "Huh?" He looked back to the young woman, cocking his head in confusion, "Why did you do that?"

Full Spectrum shrugged, "I just wanted to get your attention. Seems like I was right, it WAS an accident... kind of." She smiled up at him, "If it means anything Starburst, I forgive you."

Starburst's eyes widened. He looked at her hand then back to her, "I-I..." he quickly backed away from the door, "I'm so sorry..."

Full Spectrum shrugged looking at her hand, "Eh, it'll heal." She moved her eyes back to the young Pegasus stallion, "You know, Unicorn magic isn't the only magic out there."

Starburst narrowed his eyes at the statement, "Yeah, but I don't trust anypony who can control minds."

Full Spectrum chuckled, "Do you have any idea how illegal Mind Magic is? I mean seriously, if any normal Unicorn was caught messing with somebody's head... ho man, they would be in a world of trouble."

Starburst shrugged, "I've never seen it enforced..."

"Well duh!" Full Spectrum shot back, "That's because they don't even know how to do those kinds of spells."

Starburst rolled his eyes, "But they COULD..."

"And by that same logic you COULD use Blood Magic on any of us." Full Spectrum countered quickly.

Starburst recoiled, "What!? I would NEVER use it on any of you! I've only ever used it in my research... er... I mean..."

Full Spectrum chuckled, "I figured you were lying to the Captain. You DO know how to use Blood Magic..."

Starburst began shifting his weight nervously, "Please, you can't tell anypony... anybody! They would..."

"Oh shush! I know full well what they would do." She pulled her legs up in front of her chest, folded her arms, and set them on her knees, "The problem here is fear. You're afraid of what Unicorns COULD do. Everybody else is afraid of what Bloodmages COULD do. Granted some of them actually have done so, but YOU didn't. You're the key Starburst. You know probably every Blood Magic ritual and spell incantation, but you don't use them except for research. You're under no compulsion against using them, but you haven't used any of them. You're not just a researcher are you? You're a Bloodmage."

Starburst backed away from Full Spectrum, his eyes rolling wildly, "I-I'm a Bloodmage Acolyte, I haven't yet earned the title. B-b-but I'm not like the others! I've never hurt anypony!"

Full Spectrum never moved a muscle, "I know."

Starburst just stared at her, trying to slow down his rapidly beating heart, "What... what are you going to do?"

Full Spectrum shrugged, "Nothing unless you start making trouble." She tilted her head to the left, "A great man once said, 'The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself,'. I know what you are, but I want to ask you a question. What are you?"

Starburst succeeded in slowing his breathing, but he was confused, "I'm a Pegasus." He said opening his wings slightly, "The wings tend to be fairly obvious."

Full Spectrum nodded, "Fair enough. Who are you?"

"Well I'm me, of course. I'm Starburst... why are you asking me this?" He queried.

"Are you bound by your labels?" Full Spectrum asked carefully, "Are you no more than a Pegasus Bloodmage? Do you have any thoughts or feelings other than flying and using Blood Magic?"

"Of course I do." Starburst said in an offended tone.

"Then why are you binding Unicorns to a label? To you, Unicorns are dangerous because of what they are. By that same logic, everybody should be afraid of you because you're a Bloodmage." Full Spectrum said evenly.

Starburst stomped his hoof on the floor, "That's different! I wouldn't use it on anypony! Unicorns massacred..."

"SO WHAT!?" Full Spectrum yelled slapping the floor with her good hand, "So did Bloodmages!" She lifted her hand and pointed to Starburst, "Stop making excuses! It didn't happen to YOU so get over it!"

Starburst curled his lips in anger, "How would know what it's like!?"

"Because a long time ago, black people were enslaved, raped, and murdered by white people! White people just like we have here in town!" She quickly rose to her feet looming over Starburst, "I was raised under the mindset that because white people treated black people like me badly over a hundred years ago, that I was entitled to be angry and hate white people! Well you know what? The Captains a white guy, hell half the people here are white and you know what I found out? They ain't so bad! What my parents taught me was BULLSHIT! I don't have any right to punish anybody for what happened to my ancestors. Why? Because they didn't do it to me! The white people who enslaved my ancestors are dead! My ancestors are dead, too! Nobody enslaved me! Nobody raped me! Nobody whipped me for not picking their cotton! Black people have been free for generations!"

She sniffed and flipped her dreadlocks over her shoulder, "Yeah, there are still a few white people who are racist, but I'm not about to treat all white people like trash just because a few are rectums..." she twitched her mouth, "That didn't come out quite right..." she sighed, "Look Starburst, we can't treat anybody differently because of the way they were born. You don't have to be afraid of Unicorns controlling your mind any more than I have to worry about the Captain trying to put me in chains." She crossed her arms, "And believe me when I say anybody who tried would REALLY regret the attempt."

She knelt down in front of him, "Let me ask you one last thing Starburst. Forget everything you've been taught and told about Unicorns. Do you want Bloodmages to be able to live peacefully among other Ponies? Do you want to live peacefully with Unicorns and not be afraid of them?"

Starburst sighed, "I will if I can but... I don't trust them." He looked down, "I don't know if I can."

"And I'll bet that most, if not all, of the other Ponies in this town would say the same thing about Bloodmages." She planted her good fist on her hip, "So what's stopping you? Fear and a lack of trust. Do you trust me, Starburst?"

Starburst shrugged, "I suppose I do. You've never hurt me and you made sure I didn't end up in jail... how did you manage that anyway?"

"I didn't press charges. I knew you were scared and I told officer Somber I would make sure you were fine. He owes me a favor so we're keeping everything quiet." Full Spectrum waved her bandaged hand, "We're getting off topic here. You trust me but I can use magic just like a Unicorn. What's the difference?"

"You aren't a Unicorn... I guess that's the difference. I don't hate Unicorns though... I'm afraid of them or more importantly what they can do. I'm not going to ask for anypony to wear some kind of magic restraint, I'm not like that. I just can't be sure they won't do anything."

"Starburst, you can't ever be sure about ANYBODY. You don't have to instantly be best friends with a Unicorn, just talk to one. Don't look at the horn just look at the face. Remember they're still a Pony. Most Unicorns are good Ponies. Did you know I used to hate Ponies?"

Starburst cocked his head, "Really? Why?"

Full Spectrum turned and headed for the door, "Come on, there's a couple of people you should meet. You need to meet Ashley and Beacon."

New chapter! Let me know if you spot any typos.

On an unrelated topic my best friend (who also happens to be my wife's nephew) has written a blog series about knowing yourself. It is very helpful and it has helped me realize many things. Feel free to have a look and leave him some feedback.

Here is the link.