"Thanks a lot for letting me stay here twilight. As well as for making breakfast.. " Alex says smiling as he sits down to eat. "Wow this is a hard form to adjust to.. it just occurred to me that this is only the first time I've become a hooved being."
"so then you take different forms often then?" She asks curiously as he nods. "Now I see why your learning so fast.."
"mhm Like I said, I have the power to adapt and change to fit my area.." Alex smiles chewing on his food. "Walking on four legs is normal, but I've always had fingers or pads. These hooves.. will take some adjusting to." he smiles noticing her levitating things. "Is that spell easy to use?"
Twilight blinks. "Its one of the basics of unicorn magic.. Illumination and levitation are the two basic spells.." she replies. "Oh right.. your not form around here..."
"Well it sounds like you and your friends have a lot of work to do, so maybe if you have a book or a place I can train I might be able to figure stuff out myself. Maybe even see which of my own spells work here." Alex says nodding as Twilight wanders off to another room. Alex leans slightly trying to see into the room from his position but only seeing flying books.
"Oh where is it... Spike? SPIKE! Oh where is he?" Twilight seems to call sounding irritated.
"dunno.. wasn't he just here?" Alex asks wondering where the small dragon had rushed off to. "wow hes an expert at stealth.."
"that's one way you could call it I guess... AH found it. Unicorn magic for dummies book 1." Alex's eyes widen in surprise. "Oh uh.. I don't mean to say YOUR a dummy its the book name and..I can look for a different one.."
"HAHA that's not what I'm surprised about.. its like the For dummies books really do exist everywhere.. thanks that will do perfectly well." Alex says smiling.. "they always did after all.." Alex murmurs to himself. Literally, almost any time something strange happened to him.. a 'for dummies' book would appear..
Twilight seems to sigh in relief glad she hadn't upset anyone. "Alright then... Lets find you a clearing.. after I help my friends ill see how your doing."

Alex nods following the purple unicorn outside..

[that evening.]

Alexander stood in the clearing charging up energy... he had found out that most of his magic works.. and while incantations where not needed they did in fact help still.. the interesting part to him so far as how to aim and fire his attacks. Many shot straight out of his horn tip but others, could form a wave if he swung his horn vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. "HADOKEN!" Swinging his head down he braced as he blasted the Aura force out of his horn.. fired straight like a Pistol. The blast impacted on a magical barrier with a satisfying explosion. "HAH! aimed perfectly that time. now lets do a harder one.. Shinku..."
"Wow.. what was that spell?" A voice asks behind.
"HADOYIPE!" Alex jumps and the spell goes WAY of course.. Slamming the ground as he jumped and launching him backwards.. Looking down he saw Twilight as he felt hooves grab him in mid air.
"WOW that was some serious.. air there... you should be more careful." Alex looks up at this voice and sees Rainbow Dash as she lowers them to the ground.
"Uh.. yea I meant to do that one.. later.. nice to know I CAN do the magic launcher.." Alex says sheepishly with a slight blush. "thanks for the save."
"Hey.. no problem.. so what was that beam thing anyway? I have never seen magic like that before.." Rainbow says as Twilight wanders over.
"One of the basic projectiles I learned on a fighting planet. The Hadoken. its a ball of compressed energy not very dangerous... oh and its great for practicing my aiming. the Shinku Hadoken was the beam I was trying to use. By Charging more energy, you turn the Ball into abeam of energy.. does a lot more damage and as you saw.. has one HECK of a kick." Alex explains. "With some testing I have found that many of my spells work.. just as D said in my dream... this world is full of many forms of magical energy.. my only real problem is that any hand motions must be done by horn.. and its a little harder to aim."
"Hand motions?" Twilight asks blinking.
"O yeah some worlds have special motions you need to make, and some have special phrases.. Like for instance one of my Favorite destruction spells of black magic. The Dragon Slave. Though I prefer to call it the Dragon Slayer." Alex says smiling.
"whoa... sounds powerful." Dash says smiling widely.
"It is.. and very dangerous... it has enough power to demolish an entire town." Alex says simply "it was made to defeat dragons.. the most powerful monsters in that world.. so of course the spell would be powerful. Strong enough to destroy mountains and cities."
"You have got to be over exaggerating.." Twilight reacts.. despite Alex's serious tone. "No pony has that much magic."
"Im not a pony... Twilight." Alex says darkly. "AHAHA don't worry though its not like I'm gonna try and BLOW UP pony ville.. I mean come on.. its not like I'm a crazy psychopathic mage person. Just because I have the power to blow up the planet doesn't mean im going to."
"blow up..the planet?" they both ask with wide eyes.
"Well yeah... I have lived for thousands of years as a hero.. I am confident in my control of magic, that's why I practice weaker spells.. to test and figure out what magic works best here."
"yeah that makes sense.." Twilight admits nodding.
"Ah now that I'm resting I am reminded of something.. I had a dream I wanted to ask you about miss Sparkle. In my dream I was talking to my Negative alter ego D-Alex. Who told me he was sensing strange Dark energy around the area.. he thinks its related to the Nightmare Moon event you told me about." Alex asks sitting down to rest.
"Uh how exactly does he know about that? IS he Spying on us?" Rainbow asks looking around.
"No he doesn't want to be near me because we always Fight.. and over the years that's gotten old.. No we are linked and share memories and such. What one of us knows, the other knows and can respond to. Its also how he sensed darkness around you guys as well.. by feeling the aura of my memories. Hes much more sensitive to DARK forces then I am. Going by his thoughts.. he is pretty sure the Dark energy that he felt is something I need to take care of.. we just wanted to know if its what affected Princess Luna." Alex responds nodding.
Twilight sits down to think about this. "Its possible.. After all We were able to purify and save the princess using the Elements of Harmony. But I was pretty sure we destroyed that energy.. Its worth taking another look thought. this guy is honest right? You called him you Negative self.. what if hes sending us on a goose chase?"
Alex chuckles "That was my first thought too.. but not only does he get enough sound from my mind.. the last thing he wants is to sense any pain I take while I heal form whatever wounds.." Alex smirks. "He likes to pretend I don't exist sometimes.. because of the headaches I can cause him." He gives a slight smile. "So when should we head out? D had pulled me to the Castle where the Elements of harmony where kept.. in that forest just as you had described it..."
"We need time to gather the others.. probably tomorrow." Twilight answers in thought. "We can talk to everyone tomorrow and then leave the next da-" A loud flash as a beam of light hits the Everfree forest. "So much for that.. looks like the time to go is now.."
Alex frowns.. "that energy.. I recognize that energy..."
[So do I... but its different..] D says in response..
Ignoring the looks of confusion Alex nods. "Yeah your right.. something is wrong with it.."
[I know you wanted to rest.. but the time to get going is now. Check out that energy.]
"And who are you to order me around? Back off.. that was what I intended." Alex murmurs with a sigh.
"intended? what do you mean?" Rainbow asks looking over. "and who are you talking to?"
"D. I cant talk Mentally so I'm talking out loud." Alex says nodding. "Just excuse me while my evil twin makes me look Crazy for a few moments."
[Hardy har har.. Just get going.] D retorts chuckling.
"Yeah yeah.. stop whining already." Alex looks over. "He wants us to run now. I say we gather Twilight's friends and head over after that."

[MAN this one took forever to work right in my head Sorry it took so long.. but yeah This chapter bridges the gap between the chapter before and Zach's chapter. As Zach explores, Twilight and Alex gather the others.. and they all meet up at Zecora's. Next chapter is the exact reaction to those events.. After Zach purifies Zecora.]