Partheus

Partheus concentrated as the oak table came towards him. He trusted in his abilities as a magic user, and in the spell he was casting. The table collided with a mighty thud, shattering into tiny splinters, littering the floor around Partheus' sphere. Just as the table smashed, Partheus ceased the spell and fell on his hands and knees, panting heavily. The spell had taken the wind out of him, and was exhausted purely from using the spell. This was a strange sensation for Partheus, as he was the first human to successfully cast magic in over 2000 years, so he had no idea what magic felt like on the inside. After a few minutes, Partheus slowly picked himself up, and noticed he was physically weaker than before. That's strange, he thought. This doesn't happen with Twilight when she overdoes it with magic. Perhaps humans are set up differently to ponies, and we only have one power source to power everything? I'll have to ask Celestia about this. She's bound to know more than Twilight when it comes to the human anatomy... He walked back to his position, and tried to ready himself, but was showing signs of fatigue. "Okay, one more round, and we'll call it a day for magic. Let's do this!"

Partheus focused on his inner power once more, and recited the appropriate incantations in his head. A white sphere appeared around him, much more defined than the half-shell from before, about fifteen feet in diameter. He found it hard to concentrate on anything else while casting this particular spell, and he immediately saw why this spell was only to be used sparingly. He could feel his inner power diminishing slowly as he maintained the sphere around himself.

Partheus focused on his inner power, and levitated the daggers off the ground. He made the daggers float around him in a circular fashion, each one pointing upwards as if they were in a weapon rack. He walked around with the items still orbiting around him, getting used to the sensation of concentrating while moving and making sure they were in perfect orbit. Once he was satisfied, with a gesture of his hand, he made two of the daggers fly forwards into an archery target on the opposite side of the room, scoring a bullseye. He then waved his hands around himself, pretending to block imaginary attacks with the remaining daggers from all angles. He then stepped forwards and pushed with his hand, causing the daggers to lock together and push forwards with considerable force, enough to blow out some of the candles on the wall near him. He then pointed them outwards from himself, and spun them around his body incredibly fast. He then made a gesture with his hand, as if he were throwing playing cards on to a table, and one by one, the remaining daggers zipped forwards and struck the archery target. By the time he launched the last dagger, the daggers had formed the shape of a smiley face on the archery target. He walked back to his position on the arena and readied himself. "So, something like that?"

Partheus laughed at Rainy Splash. "You couldn't have been as lazy as me, not a chance!" He pointed his thumb at himself. "You're looking at an A-grade slacker! Dropped out of school because I beat the fudge out of someone for giving me grief. And I've been living the dream ever since..." He leaned back into his seat, thinking about his time spent in school. What they don't realise, he thought, is that it was more than just grief. It was torture. Abject torture. They mocked me for being a free thinker, a loose cannon, an exception to the rule. But where are they now? Still in the education system wasting away more of their petty lives thinking that they'll accomplish something, probably. And where am I now? Sitting in a swanky restaurant surrounded by talking horses. Partheus developed his signature cocky smile on his face. Life is sweet, he thought.

Partheus, not expecting to be swept off his feet like that, saw the spinning shield hurtle towards him as he lay there on his back. He tried to concentrate, but found it more difficult than before under the pressure. He produced a weaker half-shell than last time, that slowed down the shield just long enough for Partheus to roll out of it's way. The shield hit the floor with enough remaining force to cause sparks to fly from metal-on-stone, and slowly ceased to spin like a coin dropped on a flat surface. Partheus stood up, catching his breath. "Well... I wasn't expecting that... phew, you took me by surprise that time..." He composed himself, walked over to his place on the arena, kicked the shield out of the way, and readied himself again. "Alright, I'm ready for more. Bring it!"

As the sword came towards Partheus, he cast a white half-shell around himself, with greater fluency and speed than before. It slowed down the blade mid-swing, just as it was making it's way to his throat. Partheus then grabbed the handle of the suspended sword and prised it from Shining Armour's magical grip, before twirling it around and throwing it back to Shining Armour to catch. "Well, if it's character you're looking for, I'm as well-aligned morally as I am experienced." He walked back to his position on the arena. "Humans are amoral creatures, only caring about themselves in their brutish and miserable lives. But, thanks to Twilight, I've managed to change my ways for the better." He readied himself for the next round. "Twilight and her friends taught me everything they knew about honesty, generosity, kindness, loyalty, and genuine laughter. And now, I consider myself a reformed man, one fit for the admiration of Celestia's best student, and my best friend."

Partheus gingerly grinned. "Yeah, I get you. She's my best friend, so it kinda made sense that we would eventually be together. And you have my word; I am the best possible boyfriend for her. We get on like a house on fire, and we both desperately want to learn more about each other's cultures. There's a driving force between us that simply wouldn't be there in any other colt, you know?" Partheus walked over to his side of the arena. "I've travelled across volcanic plains, icy wastelands, thick jungles, and haunted forests. I eat bandits for breakfast, and wash them down with wild monsters. I've even managed to take down a sorceress or two while I've been here." He pumped out his chest and raised his hands, ready to learn. "Trust me, if anyone's ever going to be tough enough to be your sister's boyfriend, it's going to be me."

Partheus woke up the next morning, his mind clear of the thoughts of the previous day. He got out of bed, put his clothes on, went downstairs, grabbed some feed from the breakfast banquet, and sat at his usual spot by the balcony. So, he thought, what shall I do today? Shining Armour still needs to teach me more advanced protection magic, and I still need to sneak in and learn that forbidden spell as a trump card. But, I also have that encumbrance chamber to test out... While he was pondering, Cadence approached him and sat beside him on the table. "Good morning, Partheus! How are you today?" Partheus snapped out of his deep thinking, his train of thought derailed. "Oh, uh, I'm fine, Cadence, thanks for asking..." Cadence looked over the balcony and smiled. "So, how are things with you and Twilight?" Partheus beamed. "It's going brilliantly so far. Thank you so much for doing what you did, Cadence! Not only have you made both of us happy, but now I have gained newfound strength due to my friendship power expanding tenfold. Who knows? Mabye your contribution will end up being the deciding factor when I defeat Sagittarius?" Cadence rolled her eyes playfully. "The power of love is a curious thing. It can make one mare weep, and another mare sing..." Partheus finished off his bowl of feed and ran off towards the palace. "Oh Partheus, I nearly forgot to tell you!" Partheus wheeled around, bowl of feed still in his hand. "Yes?" Cadence stood up from the table. "Shining Armour wishes to train you in more advanced magic in private today. I would get going as soon as possible, Partheus. He's obsessive over time-keeping!" Partheus shook his head and smiled. Just like his sister, he thought. She runs a ship so tight, there's hardly any room for the crew... wait, what am I talking about? He slapped his forehead, and ran off to the barracks.

Partheus looked at Rainbow Dash and Soarin' together, and couldn't help but smile. So, he thought, this is Soarin' of the Wonderbolts. Well, as long as he can keep up with her, I think he'll do just fine as her boyfriend. Hey, who knows? Now that she has ties to the Wonderbolts, mabye she'll finally get that dream placement she's always wanted on the team? Only time will tell... "Gosh, not only have I got the infamous Rainbow Dash helping me out, but a member of the Wonderbolts? I feel truly honoured. What could you possibly have in store for me today, then?" Rainbow Dash grinned delightfully. "Well, now that you can run on clouds, how about we step it up a notch and have you jump from cloud to cloud?" Partheus looked at Rainbow Dash confusedly. "How can I possibly not apply pressure to my feet when I land from a jump?" Rainbow Dash waved her hoof in Partheus' face. "Nu-uh! You know the drill..." Then Rainbow Dash repeated in unison. "No asking questions." Soarin' laughed out loud. "Gosh, you two are like an old couple!" Rainbow Dash and Partheus exchanged an awkward glance. "So, Dashie, are we going?" Rainbow Dash turned around grumpily. "Soarin'! I thought we agreed to never call me that in public!" Soarin' giggled. "We're leaving now. You can ride me there, Partheus." Partheus hopped on to Rainbow Dash's back. "Goodbye, Partheus!" "Goodbye, Twilight! I'll see you later!" And with that, Rainbow Dash, Partheus, and Soarin' flew off to Cloudsdale. * * * The sun was shining brightly in Cloudsdale, as it usually did given it's precarious position above the clouds. Pegasi were flying left right and centre, enjoying the sunshine and having a good time. Rainbow Dash, Partheus, and Soarin' flew towards the Wonderbolts training area, where Partheus had his unfortunate accident two days earlier. They landed softly on a flat cloud, Partheus dismounting carefully off of Rainbow Dash, and stepping on to the clouds, getting a feel for them again. He ran around the cloud for a few circuits, before Rainbow Dash beckoned him back. "Alright, you've gotten back into the swing of things already. Good!" Soarin' was busy arranging smaller clouds in a staircase fashion, slowly spiralling around Cloudsdale. "Soarin' over there is busy getting the next activity ready. For now, let me show you how to bounce on a cloud!" Rainbow Dash then hopped around, in a fashion not too dissimilar to Pinkie Pie. She came back to Partheus, who was still rooted to where he was. "Now, the trick here is to will yourself up. I know that sounds nuts, but as soon as you land, you've got to shift your centre of gravity upwards while still not applying any pressure to your feet. Wanna give it a try?" Rainbow Dash got close to Partheus, whispering, "Don't worry. I promise to catch you if you fall this time, hehehe." Partheus gulped nervously. He bent his knees, trying not to apply any pressure on his feet, and pushed off the cloud, going about two feet in the air, before coming down again. He tried to shift his centre of gravity upwards, while still not applying any pressure to his feet. He landed, but only just; his feet sunk about two inches into the cloud, then slowly rose up again. "Awesome! Now, try jumping in a direction! This is a little trickier, but you'll manage." He pushed up off the cloud and travelled forwards. He landed, shifting his centre of gravity upwards as he did, only sinking an inch and a half this time around. He tried jumping around a few more times, each time successfully gaining more ground and sinking less and less into the cloud until he could feel the cloud bouncing him upwards, creating additional upwards thrust. Within a few hours, he could jump four, five, six feet in the air without much effort. "Nice job, Partheus! Now, for something a little more advanced..." Rainbow Dash lay on her back on the cloud, looking up at the sky. "I may make it look easy, but it's a lot harder than you think." Partheus tried to bend down and place his seat on the cloud, but he could feel it sinking through. He tried placing his hands on the cloud, but they slipped through as well. "The trick is to apply no pressure to any part of your body. Just let yourself gently flop on the cloud." She stood up, and held Partheus by the back. "Just let everything hang loose, that's it..." Partheus did as she said, and let every muscle in his body rest. Rainbow Dash then carefully laid him out on the cloud, poring over him. "Now, I'm fairly certain Soarin' won't mind if I do this, but..." She sat on top of Partheus, pinning down his arms and legs. "Right, now you just have to stay here until Soarin' is done, and you're a certified cloud-sitter!" Partheus let out an awkward groan. "Rainbow Dash... why are you... sitting on me?" "Well, two reasons. One, you need to get used to laying still, so I'm pinning down all of your limbs to help out with that, as well as adding extra weight for you to balance with. Second, and more importantly..." She brought her face right next to Partheus' "...I believe we have some unfinished business to attend to..." She began to nuzzle Partheus on the nose, and undo the buttons on his shirt like she did last time. Partheus wanted to move out of the way, but if he did, he'd fall through the clouds. "Rainbow Dash, what in Torbolt's name do you think you are doing? We've both got someone for ourselves now! You can't just go around romancing whoever you feel like any more!" Rainbow Dash looked at Partheus strangely. "Who, Twilight?" Partheus nervously nodded. "...Nah, she won't mind..." He was trapped there, pinned down by Rainbow Dash, as she undid his shirt, button by button. Rainbow Dash was staring amorously into Partheus' eyes, nuzzling his cheek softly while working on his shirt buttons. He was starting to feel more and more uncomfortable with each passing second, hoping that someone would arrive to break the tension and save him. Rainbow Dash eventually finished undoing all of the buttons on his shirt, before moving on to his belt... "Yo honey, I'm done setting up the clouds... am I interrupting anything?" Rainbow Dash gingerly turned around to see an extremely confused Soarin' standing behind her. "Uh, no babe, just helping Partheus get used to lying down on clouds..." Soarin' was skeptical. "Why do you need to undo his shirt? And why are you holding his belt like that?" Rainbow Dash winced. "I was removing excess weight from him by taking off his clothes. He's currently laying down, so he can't move an inch. So, I was doing the honours..." Soarin' nodded his head in agreement. How gullible can you possibly be, Partheus thought. "Oh, I gotcha. Yeah, you should walk around with no clothes on like we ponies do, Partheus. It definitely makes stuff like this much easier!" Partheus rolled his eyes. With people like Rainbow Dash still following me around, he thought, that's not going to happen any time soon. Rainbow Dash helped Partheus up off the cloud. Partheus did up the buttons on his shirt, giving Rainbow Dash a disapproving look. "So, what now?" Rainbow Dash sheepishly straightened herself up. "Ahem, well, now that Soarin' has so kindly set the clouds up, now we get to see how much you've really learned! Follow the clouds all the way to the top, and once you reach the highest one, lay on it!" Partheus nodded his head in agreement. He walked over to the edge of the cloud, towards the first smaller cloud, readied himself, and jumped. He reached a height of about six feet, easily making it on to the second cloud without a hitch. He jumped from cloud to cloud, nimbly dashing across the clear blue skies like a white and brown flash of colour. He slowly gained altitude, and the air became thinner. He found himself starting to tire out, but continued, determined to get to the top of the cloud staircase. His footing began to become increasingly flawed, and he was starting to apply more pressure to his feet, sinking further into the clouds with each jump. He reached the second to last cloud, jumped as high as he could, a good eight or so feet, and let every muscle in his body relax in freefall. He landed on the cloud softly, elasticated slightly from his landing. Rainbow Dash and Soarin' flew up to see him. Soarin' helped Partheus up and gave him a brohoof. "Good going, Partheus! You've got a knack for learning, you know! It took me weeks to get that right, but you mastered it in two days!" Partheus smiled at Rainbow Dash. "Humans are very fast learners." Soarin' looked at Rainbow Dash, who was running her hoof through her mane. "So, what else you got planned for the prodigy?" Rainbow Dash laughed and spread out her wings. "How about a race? No wings, just running on the clouds. Who's with me?" Partheus and Soarin' cheered. This is going to be interesting, he thought. * * * The sun was dipping low in the orangey afternoon sky of Cloudsdale. Soarin' and Rainbow Dash had worked together to build a giant oval racing circuit out of clouds, complete with a hurdles section, and a long jump to the finish. Once they had finished, they airlifted Partheus to the start line, and got themselves into position. A small crowd of passing pegasi had come to see this race. A brown pegasus came around to tie a rope around Soarin' and Rainbow Dash, to stop them using their wings. The brown pegasus walked up to a cloud podium, pulled out a starting pistol, held it up tot he sky, and pulled the trigger... BANG! And they were off, Partheus bursting forth into a sprint, Rainbow Dash off like a bolt, and Soarin' closely following behind. Soarin', not quite used to running fast on clouds, did manage to pick up some momentum, but sadly couldn't keep up with Rainbow Dash, who was in the lead. Partheus was slowly beginning to gain ground on Rainbow Dash, going around the first bend. They made it to the first straight, Partheus running as fast as his legs could carry him on clouds. Rainbow Dash was giving it her all, too, looking behind her to see Partheus catching up with her. "Oh no you don't!" She kicked the cloud as she ran, kicking up small clouds that flew into Partheus' face, obscuring his vision. He blew them out of the way, and scooped up a handful of cloud from the ground as he ran. He screwed it up into a ball and pelted it at Rainbow Dash, hitting her right in the back of the head. "Oww, that smarts!" They made it to the hurdles section, Rainbow Dash galloping over each one majestically, and Partheus vaulting over them determinedly. The hurdles were beginning to get higher and higher, forcing Rainbow Dash and Partheus to tuck in their legs as they jumped over each one. As they both made it over the last hurdle, much to Rainbow Dash's surprise, Partheus and her were neck and neck. They looked at each other, and gave one last push to the finish. Rainbow Dash was so focused on beating Partheus, that she forgot to place her good foot at the jump point, causing her to only make it about half the normal distance before falling down the pit and towards the ground below. Partheus put his best foot forward, leaped as high as he could, traversing ten feet, and landed limply on the finish line. The small crowd went wild, not expecting the human to beat Rainbow Dash in a race like that. Soarin' eventually made it across the line as well, and Rainbow Dash was airlifted by the brown pegasus back on to the race track. "I... can't believe it! I lost!" Partheus walked over to Rainbow Dash, who was looking morose, and gave her a firm hug. "Hey, you can fly, can't you? You still have an edge over me." Rainbow Dash looked up at Partheus, smiling. "T-thanks, Partheus..." Soarin' came over to comfort Rainbow Dash, rubbing noses and necks together. "You've done really well today, Partheus. I didn't know you had it in you to beat me and my little Dashie in a race..." Rainbow Dash looked up at Soarin' angrily. "I... told you... not to call me that!" Soarin' laughed. "Hey, if you want me to stop, you'll have to catch me first, hehehe!" Soarin' then flew off into the sunset, Rainbow Dash closely following behind. "Get back here, you!" "Hahaha, come on, Dashie!" "You are so dead!" * * * Partheus returned to Canterlot by pegasus, completely exhausted, the night only having just started. He walked into the palace, up the stairs, and into his living quarters. He changed into his pyjamas, slumped into bed, and stared at the ceiling. Why must my life be so complex, he thought. I've got to train in things I've never done before to fight a monster I've never encountered before and will probably die fighting, all the while making sure Newsworthy doesn't lose his apples over the copious stress he's under, and somehow maintain a budding relationship with Twilight, while resisting all attempts by Rainbow Dash to seduce me. Can't life just... be simple like it used to be? His brow was heavy with thoughts as he drifted off into a stifled sleep...

Partheus finished off his bowl of feed. "Well, that's just the thing, Newsworthy. Sometimes, you've got to let others find their way. We're put on this world to do as we please, to carve our own path, to make our own destinies. What we can't do is try to control other people's destinies. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for helping a friend out if they need it. But, to alter the course of someone's life for personal satisfaction is a little thing known as 'manipulation', which is what leads to places like Hominopolis being the hive of scum and villainy that it is today. There, it's every man for himself, and you can't get anywhere without manipulating someone to achieve something for you. If everyone tries to control everyone else, friendship loses all meaning." Partheus took a sip from his glass of orange juice. "Take it from someone who's experienced the worst that sort of thinking can lead to; do focus on your own goals, but also help friends get to theirs, no matter their current circumstance. I know it sounds harsh, but you simply can't change what has come to pass. The sooner you accept and embrace change, the better you can adapt to it and reap the benefits." Twilight nodded in agreement. "For example, me and Partheus have come together as a result of Cadence helping us out. She didn't manipulate us into liking each other; the spark was always there. And as a result, we've achieved something together that'll prove wonderful for both of us in more ways than one." Partheus grinned. "Yeah, like this!" He focused on his friendship, and pointed his hand towards a table nearby. The table began to float upwards, dancing around Partheus, Twilight, and Newsworthy as if it were floating in a vat of silky water. "Wow, Partheus! How are you doing that?" Partheus smirked as he put the table back down where it was. "That's just the basic telekinesis spell you taught me ages ago, remember? The one I could barely lift plant pots with? Well, now I can lift tables with ease, all because of you." Twilight smiled gleefully, and the two shared another affectionate nuzzle. "Speaking of which, I'd better be off. Rainbow Dash is expecting me in Cloudsdale to continue our cloud training, remember? I wonder where she is..."

Partheus smiled at Newsworthy as he sat down next to them. "Well, we've been told about what happened yesterday between us. Neither of us can actually remember a single thing about what happened. But, after a brief explanation from Cadence, and after a good chat between the three of us, I think we've come to a sensible conclusion..." Partheus put his arm around Twilight. "We've decided to start dating for real, without some silly spell to make us love each other." Partheus cheerfully grabbed a handful of feed from his bowl and began picking bits from it with his fingers and popping them in his mouth. "Thing is, Cadence told us that, although what we did while under the influence of the spell was horribly embarrassing, it did in fact confirm her theory that we genuinely loved each other, even thought neither of us wanted to admit it to anyone. And after we overcame our fears and prejudices, that left us both open to start dating." Partheus looked up at the palace, taking in the fresh Canterlot air. "That Cadence has worked some real magic, Newsworthy. I can't thank her enough for what she's done." Twilight smiled at Newsworthy. "The best part about this whole thing is that now Partheus will be stronger for it. Our love will make his inner power much greater than before, meaning that he now stands a better chance against Sagittarius." She grabbed an apple from her tray, and took a good bite out of it. "And to think he chose not to express himself because of what all the other humans thought about this sort of thing. Well, he's managed to look beyond that, and I think that's what makes him such a good person." Twilight and Partheus then laughed and nuzzled each other affectionately.

Partheus looked at Twilight, dumbfounded. "What? I didn't do anything! One moment I'm casting protection spells with your brother, the next I'm in bed with my best friend! Your guess is as good as mine!" They both gave each other a frightful look, neither believing the story of the other. Cadence laughed. "Oh, there's no need to be so scared! It was actually rather beautiful to watch, seeing you two spend so much time together..." Partheus and Twilight shrieked with fear, suddenly realising what had happened. "You cast a love spell on us both, didn't you?" Partheus gasped again. Oh no, he thought. This is what Shining Armour was trying to warn me about earlier! "Just... put us out of our misery, will you? Tell us what happened, from when you cast the spell until now." Cadence smiled kindly. "Thankfully, I was following you the entire time, so I can give you a fairly accurate account of what happened. Well, as soon as I cast the spell on you both, you both rushed to each other and stared longingly into one another's eyes, calling each other rather odd names like 'shmoophy-doo' and 'honey-bunny'." Partheus and Twilight wound their necks back out of disgust. "Then, you trotted out of the barracks, and into the palace proper. You greeted Celestia and Luna together, and told them how much you love each other..." Twilight gasped with horror. "Oh no! Now Celestia thinks we're together!" Partheus facepalmed hard. "Oh great, just what I need; the joint rulers of this country are now utterly convinced that I am dating Celestia's best student. Thanks for that, Cadence. Just the 'good' publicity I was looking for!" Cadence's smile grew wider. "Oh, it gets better. You two then went around Canterlot, doing the classic 'sitting in the cafe sharing a milkshake' thing that lovers always seem to do. You then went into the library and read together, offering one another to turn the next page. After that, you decided to leave Canterlot and catch the next chariot to Ponyville. The driver said he recognised you, Partheus, but he said that he wouldn't charge you 'respect tax' this time around, whatever that meant..." Partheus went bright red with embarrassment. Oh no, he thought, not him. Of all the chariot drivers, why him? "Once you arrived in Ponyville, you waved hello to everyone while holding hands and hooves. You visited all of your friends, Twilight, and told them that you and Partheus were together..." Twilight screamed with terror. "No, not my friends, too! Out of all the things that could have happened, that was the worst possible thing!" Partheus looked at Twilight, slightly cross. "Now hey, I'm not that bad, am I?" Twilight smiled gingerly. "Hehe, of course not... you're... nice, I guess, but I'm not interested in dating at the moment." Partheus raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. That's something I never thought about, he thought. She actually isn't interested in me. If she really did have feelings for me, she'd be a whole lot more accepting of this situation than she currently is. And, she just said that she wouldn't go out with me. If she did have a crush on me, she'd be acting much more awkwardly than usual. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think you're a wonderful mare yourself, but I'm not quite ready to go out with ponies on dates just yet..." "Well, you two looked rather eager about the idea, so I guess you're as ready as you're ever going to be." Cadence smiled even wider. "After going around Ponyville declaring your love for one another to everyone that passed, affectionately nuzzling one another as you did, the sun was beginning to set. You both headed back to Canterlot by chariot, came to this room... and that's about as much as I know, because I didn't want to intrude on anything too private..." Twilight fainted from shock. Partheus looked down at his feet in complete shame. "...but, the fact that you are still wearing your pyjamas, and the fact that the spell was only a Storgian love spell, not an Erotic or Philiac love spell, it is safe to assume that nothing actually happened." Partheus sighed with relief. Okay, he thought, that was a close one. We just slept in the same bed, and nothing sexual happened. The End. "So, may I ask what the purpose of this spell was?" Cadence giggled. "Well, I suppose there's no harm in telling you now the deed has been done, but your friend Rainbow Dash told me that you were interested in one another, but were having trouble coming out about it. So, I cast a basic love spell as a trial run, to see how you guys got on with one another. I have to say, the results are highly positive..." Partheus held out his hands. "Woah, woah, woah. Back up. Rainbow Dash set you up for this? As in, the aspiring Wonderbolt and weather pony extraordinaire, Rainbow Dash?" He began to grow increasingly irate, red lightning forming around him. He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and lowered his brow as low as it could go. "That... meddling... moron! How dare she try to set me up like that?" Twilight came to as Partheus began to spark with more red lightning. "Oh, I see how it is! Rainbow Dash makes her move, I say no, so for revenge, she has me and Twilight put under a love spell, knowing I was trying my hardest to avoid her, because I thought she fancied me!" Cadence quickly cast a pink heart on Partheus, calming his nerves to an almost drowsy and merry state. "Partheus! What did my husband tell you? You can't give in to your anger! It's too unstable!" Partheus happily lulled around to see Twilight, looking at him angrily. "Rainbow Dash tried to make her move on you? When was this?" Partheus smiled. "Well, do you remember when I said there was an accident yesterday?" "Actually, it was the day before. You two lover birds slept through the night..." "Right, the accident I had with Rainbow Dash? It was caused by her making her move on me. She just randomly came on to me out of the blue... no pun intended." Twilight looked shocked. "I... never knew she felt like that! Did you... 'do it' with her?" Partheus shook his head. "Oh, of course not! She undid a few buttons on my shirt, I jumped out of my skin when I realised what she was doing, as I did just now, and I fell through the clouds because I wasn't concentrating on my feet..." Twilight laughed. "Oh you! You say you don't want to date ponies, yet you've already dated two already! Come on, Partheus, admit it! You like dating ponies as much as any other pony does!" Partheus sighed. Well, he thought, she's got a point. I've somehow managed to date two ponies in two days, both of which required no effort on my part. The date with Rainbow Dash wasn't that bad, apart from the nasty fall I suffered, and now that I've gotten over the initial shock, the date with Twilight doesn't sound that bad. It just sounds like an ordinary day with me and Twilight, just with more love involved... Besides, seeing as how only the humans in Hominopolis are against inter-special dating, the racist fiends, and I want to be nothing like them, I suppose I have no choice... "Alright, you got me. I don't actually mind dating ponies. I was just against the idea at first because that's how people think in Hominopolis. But, I hate the people in Hominopolis, so their thoughts can go burn in Tartarus for all I care." Twilight jumped excitedly in the air. "Haha, I knew it! Well, now that you've gotten over your fear of dating ponies..." Twilight approached Partheus and held his hand. "...how about we try this again, this time without the aid of a spell?" Partheus blushed. "B-but... I thought you weren't interested in dating?" Twilight giggled. "Oh, that? It was all an act. I didn't want to tell you how I truly felt, and I was willing to say or do anything to make it look as convincing as possible." She rubbed her chest with her hoof and blew on it. "Not bragging, but back in Filly Kindergarten, I was practically a Thespian in my Drama classes... well, I was a genius in all my other subjects too, but that's not important right now..." She looked into his eyes amorously. "So, what do you think? Shall we date again?" Partheus thought heavily. Well, he thought, I don't have anything against dating ponies any more, but I'm still not ready to date anybody as of now... hold on... Oh, of course! Why didn't I see this sooner? Twilight's trying to get into a relationship with me because she knows it'll bolster my friendship power! This isn't just a random urge she's having, it's pre-meditated and logical! Oh Twilight, leave it up to you to make love into a science! Well, if it means I become stronger... "You know what? Sure. Let's go on a date." Partheus hastily changed into his clothes in the bathroom, making sure Twilight or Cadence couldn't see him, and came out five minutes later looking more presentable. "Oh, you two? Before you go, aren't you going to have breakfast?" Partheus and Twilight looked at each other and smiled. They took their breakfasts, and walked downstairs to the balcony Partheus and Newsworthy were sitting at the day before. As they sat down to eat their breakfast, Twilight staring kindly into Partheus' eyes, Partheus noticed Newsworthy sat at another table by himself. "Hey, Newsworthy! Come and join us! We've got some great news to tell you!"

"Well, I'm travelling around Equestria, seeking to learn more about the culture and history of this place. May as well get out and about. Certainly beats helping around Twilight's house with chores." He grumbled something inaudible under his breath.

Partheus gingerly approached the white unicorn. "Uh, hello. Are you..." He furrowed his brow. "...Prince... Shining..." He scratched his chin. "...Twilight's older brother?" The white unicorn laughed out loud. "Yeah, that's me. Hey, if you need to remember my name in future..." The white unicorn jumped into a pose, exposing his chest armour. "...just remember that I'm the one around here who polishes his armour daily." Partheus grinned. "Got it. I have to say, I was rather impressed with your swordplay just then..." Shining Armour chuckled. "Nah, well, it's all part of my daily routine, really... ever since we caught wind of Sagittarius, this is all I have time for nowadays..." He looked up at a giant clock hanging on the wall opposite him. "Oh shoot, it's quarter to eleven! I've got to go see Cadence! Sorry, but can whatever you want from me wait?" There came a voice from above. "No, it's fine, dear. I can wait." Partheus and Newsworthy looked up to see Princess Cadence, who was standing at the top of a flight of stairs that lead from the arena to what appeared to be Shining Armour and Cadence's living quarters. "Good morning, honey! So, you're finally taking an interest in life in the barracks?" Cadence smirked. "No, I just wanted to tell you that we have a guest who wants to see you..." Out from behind Cadence walked Twilight Sparkle. "Hey bro! Oh hey, Partheus, hey Newsworthy! Didn't see you guys there!" She trotted merrily down the flight of stairs. Oh boy, Partheus thought. Just the unicorn I thought I had rid myself of for a while. She really does have a knack for being there when you least expect it... "So, how did your training go with Rainbow Dash yesterday? She seemed a little reluctant to talk about it. Is it top-secret or something?" Partheus groaned. Okay, he thought, add to that a knack for asking the most awkward questions at the most awkward times possible. "Well, it was going really well, but I had an accident, and I can't do anything physical until tomorrow..." Twilight gasped. "Oh goodness, that's horrible! But, why didn't Rainbow Dash tell me about it?" Partheus rubbed his shoulder uncomfortably. "Well, she was kinda the cause of the accident, so I guess she felt guilty..." Twilight frowned. "Hmph, I should have seen that one coming, to be fair... anyway, what have you got planned for today?" Partheus approached Shining Armour. "I was wondering if you could teach me a few things about protection spells..." Shining Armour suddenly jerked back his head. "Oh, of course! You're that... 'human' who Celestia wants to train to get ready for Sagittarius..." His eyes suddenly narrowed, and he pulled Partheus to one side, away from everyone else. "You're also apparently my sister's first boyfriend. Is this true?" Partheus grumbled. Not this again, he thought. "No I'm not. That's just some silly rumour going around, no thanks to one Gabby Gums. I mean, just because we live in the same house doesn't mean we..." Shining Armour began to laugh out loud. "Oh, come on. You aren't fooling anyone. Come on, you can tell me how you really feel. I'm her big brother, it's my job to make sure she's okay." Why is the royalty buying into this garbage, Partheus thought. "There is nothing going on between us, got it? Look, I know you want the best for your little sister and all, but I'm simply not interested." Shining Armour smiled coolly. "That's not what Cadence told me." "Say what now?" Shining Amour dragged Partheus far away from everyone else. "Listen, I shouldn't be telling you this, but Cadence told me that you two are interested in one another, but neither of you want to admit it to one another. And trust me, if anybody can spot the budding seeds of love, it's my wife." Partheus suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "Why are you telling me this?" Shining Armour could hear voices calling for them. "Uh, no time to explain. What was your name?" "Partheus, sir." "Partheus, eh? I like that name... anyway, just say we had a pep talk about protection spells, mmmkay?" Partheus nodded in agreement. They regrouped with the others, who all looked a little worried. "No need to worry, just gave Partheus a pep talk on magic use. He's a beginner you see, so he's not very confident in his abilities..." Partheus grunted. Oh I bet he's loving this, he thought. "Now, Partheus, if you may stand opposite me in the arena..." Partheus walked over to the other side of the arena, facing Shining Armour. "The first thing you need to learn is a basic warding spell. It isn't necessarily a barrier, it's more of a strong, concentrated burst of magical energy that can slow down a projectile or spell." He looked over to Twilight. "Sis! Give me your best fireball!" Twilight aimed her horn at Shining Armour, and fired a ball of flames at him, narrowly missing Newsworthy. Shining Armour then cast a spell that formed what looked like a faint purple half-shell around him, slowing down the oncoming fireball to such a slow speed, that he could blow it out like a candle. "See? No sweat. To cast the spell, you need to search within yourself, find your source of energy, and draw a cushion around you with your mind's eye." Partheus closed his eyes, and focused. He knew where his power came from; his bottled-up rage at those who wronged him as a child. He focused on his rage, and drew a cushion with his mind's eye, and Shining Armour instructed. Suddenly, a faint red half-shell appeared around Partheus. It remained stable for a few seconds, before fizzling with red lightning and collapsing in on itself, and disappearing completely. "Good first try! If the aura's red, that means you're drawing it from your anger, right?" Partheus, rubbing his head at a sudden migrane, nodded. "That's a very unstable and dangerous emotion, unsuitable for magic. Try using something else, something strong, like friendship!" Partheus closed his eyes, and focused on all of the good times he spent with Twilight and her friends, then drew a cushion with his mind's eye. A faint white half-shell appeared around Partheus this time. It remained stable for much longer. But then, Partheus had a slew of thoughts about Twilight's secret crush on him, and how others have reacted to their rumoured 'relationship'. The barrier broke and disappeared, much to Shining Armour's confusion. "Hmm? What happened that time?" Partheus couldn't answer him. "Perhaps unwanted thoughts were breaking your concentration? Yeah, that happens a lot with me. You'll get used to focusing after a while. Try again, this time I'll throw a fireball your way." Partheus whimpered at that, focusing on his friendship, and drawing a cushion with his mind's eye. The warding shell appeared around Partheus, more pronounced and shapely than before. Shining Armour aimed his horn at Partheus and fired a small fireball at Partheus. Partheus shut his eyes, trying not to think about the fireball, and focused on his friendship more. The barrier held out, successfully slowing down the fireball to a slow speed. Partheus opened his eyes to see the fireball lashing at his face. He blew on it, putting it out. "Good job, Partheus. And again!" Partheus focused on his friendship once more. However, before he could draw the cushion in his mind's eye, he suddenly felt very light-headed, his vision blurring, and his hearing muffled. Before he could ask what was going on, everything went pink momentarily, before going black... * * * Partheus awoke in his living quarters, slightly exhausted. Oww, he thought, my head still hurts from that magical training. How did I end up here? He noticed the door to his room was ajar. He also noticed his day clothes and satchel were strewn across the floor. He looked underneath the sheets; he was wearing his pyjamas. He looked around his room, trying to further piece together what happened. This is really starting to freak me out now, he thought. One moment I'm in the barracks training with Shining... Armour, and the next I'm here, sitting in my pyj- "OH MY GOODNESS!" There, laying next to him in his bed, was Twilight Sparkle, who woke up from her sleep. "Ugh, my head... Where am I? What happ- AHHHHHHH!!!" They both jumped out of the bed and stood at opposite ends, looking scared. "What are you doing in my bed?!" Twilight shrugged her shoulders. "What do you mean, 'what are you doing in my bed'? I don't know either!" As the two were staring at each other with abject fear, there was a polite knock on the ajar door...

"Well, all I can guarantee is that I treat my horse with respect. I don't know about the others, and I fear they may not be a benevolent as I am." Partheus looked down at his satchel. "You see, humans aren't the kindest of creatures normally. They only care for themselves, and they wouldn't think twice of stabbing you in the back to reap in the tiniest benefit you can imagine." He crossed his arms and looked down at his boots. "Of course, I'm nothing like them. The very fact that I can spot this trend in my own race like that should be a good indicator of how different I am. I hate human beings, and to tell you a secret, I've made more friends here in a single week than I did my entire childhood in Hominopolis." Partheus noticed the wings on the pegasus. "Oh yes, you have those. Lucky son-of-a-gun. What I wouldn't kill for a pair of those for my job..."

Partheus laughed. "Typical Rainbow Dash. She takes it nice and slow with any normal guy... well, slow by her standards anyway..." He watched her fly off into the distance. "...but if he's a Wonderbolt, it's like a moth to a flame. Well, I wish her all the best. Whoever this Soarin' guy is, he's certainly bagged himself a loyal partner." Partheus finished off his feed, drank his orange juice, and sat up from the table. "Right, time to find... Prince Shining..." Newsworthy looked on encouragingly, hoping he'd finally get the name right. "...Armadillo, is it?" Newsworthy facehoofed. "Ah, close enough." He looked around for a butler who could point him in the right direction. "Ah, you there, good sir, in the suit?" Five different butlers rushed to Partheus' aid immediately. They all spoke in unison, "Yes, Master Partheus?", giving each other a strange look. Wow, he thought, I'm a master? Wait, doesn't that mean I'm Celestia's... son? Torbolt's beard, these guys must be confused... "Do any of you happen to know where I might find Prince... Shinier... Army?" The butlers looked at each other again strangely before one had an idea and cleared his throat. "Are you referring to Prince Shining Armour, perchance?" Partheus slapped his forehead. "That's the one! Yes, I'm looking for him. Know where he might be?" The butlers all pointed towards the second tallest spire in the palace. "The Equestrian Army barracks, Master Partheus. He's usually there most days, dividing his time evenly between friendly sparring between fellow comrades, practising his barrier spells, or staring longingly into Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's eyes..." The butlers rolled their eyes at the mention of the last activity. "Thanks for the help, good sirs. Dismissed!" The butlers all stood to attention, and zipped away in a puff of pompous dust. "Wow, I didn't think they'd respond to military commands. Hehehe, oh the antics I could pull off with these guys!" He rubbed his hands together in maleficent glee. "Anyway, Newsworthy. To the barracks?"

Partheus winced slightly. "About that..." He fumbled around with his feed; if Partheus wasn't doing anything with feed besides eating it, clearly there's something amiss. "Fluttershy says I'll have to give the physical training a miss today. Muscles still ache like crazy, and I don't want to risk pulling anything at a time like this. Today, we'll be going through some protection magic with Twilight's brother... Shingle Parma, was it?" Rainbow Dash frowned. "Darn it! You'll be available tomorrow, right?" Partheus nodded. "Awesome! Well, if you need some assistance with your boring old magic training, just give me a shout, okay?" Partheus smiled. "Sure. Mabye if I need someone to use as target practise..." They both laughed. Partheus turned to Newsworthy. "So, I don't really know where to find this... Shimmer Amore person. Could you take me to him after breakfast?"

Partheus sat up from his bed, a little sore, but an improvement over yesterday. "Well, I certainly do feel better. Thanks, Fluttershy!" Fluttershy squeed and walked out of the room. "Right, something mental, huh? Hmm..." He thought back to the list of things he had planned. "Oh, I know! Twilight mentioned something about her brother knowing a thing or two about protection magic... Shiny Arms, was it? We'll give that a try today." He stretched his arms painfully, put his shirt back on, put on his satchel, and went to go out of the door. "You coming with me today? Don't let what happened yesterday put you off. Nothing bad could possibly happen."

Partheus laughed heartily, sounding much healthier than last time. "That's... why... I like you... You... are one... sly fella..." Well, he thought, this means I don't have to worry about Rainbow Dash any more. Now, what to do about Twilight... "Well... I hope... this works..." He looked out of the window again. The sun was beginning to set, already producing an orangey hue that illuminated the room. "I... think... it's time... I got... some zeds... See you... in... the morning..." He reached over for the blanket, slowly pulled it over himself, and settled into his bed, making sure not to rub off any of the lotion on his chest.

"Oh... really...?" Partheus painfully craned his neck to see Newsworthy a little better. "And... what would... this solution... entail...?"

Partheus chuckled, coughing heavily as he did. "Well... that's... perfectly fine... you... had an addiction... to feed... and I... had a pegasus... to train me... and unintentionally... get to second... base with..." He looked over at the window; the sun was still shining as brightly as it was in the morning. "So... you knew... about how she... felt about me... all that time... and you... didn't... tell me...?" He chuckled again. "Classic... Newsworthy... he keeps the... hottest... new info... to himself..." He had the strength to raise his arm, waving it dismissively before letting it flop limply by his side again. "Don't... worry about it... you... only did... what came... naturally to you... no one... can hold you... accountable... for that..." Partheus suddenly felt a sharp spike of fiery pain course down his body, causing his every muscle to spasm slightly. "Oww... I think... it might be... time to... apply more... lotion..."

Partheus raised his head to see Newsworthy, who was sobbing to himself. "Hey... no need... to worry... about me... I've... been through... much worse... remember?" Partheus had come within an inch of his life so often, both in his line of work and in his adventures across Equestria, that it no longer phased him. He doesn't even consider it an adventure any more unless he's been hospitalised at least once. Rainbow Dash leaned over Partheus, checking to see if the healing lotion was working. "Yep, looks like it's kicking in. You should be able to walk tomorrow. For the time being, you just rest here. Newsworthy, you stay here and apply the lotion about half an hour from now. That'll be his last dose of the night, then he can get some shut-eye. Then, we can pick up where we left off and get him ready for that mean old Sagittarius!" She walked over to the door. "Well, if you don't mind, I've got some training exercises to plan for you, Partheus. Catch you later!" Rainbow Dash walked out of the room, leaving Partheus and Newsworthy alone. "Oh yeah... forgot to... ask... Why... do you... smell... of... alcohol...?"

Pain. That's all Partheus could feel. Abject pain. He dared not open his eyes, for fear that he might make the pain any worse. It was coursing throughout his body, lighting every orifice on fire with white-hot misery. Partheus remained where he was, unsure of exactly where that actually was, and prayed that the pain stopped soon. Suddenly, he felt someone take off his shirt, and what felt like hooves rubbing some cool lotion on his chest. It made the pain worse at first, but after a while, it started to subside. He could begin to make out a voice, faint and muffled at first, but it gradually grew louder and clearer with each passing second. "Partheus? Partheus, are you awake? Partheus! It's me, Rainbow Dash!" Partheus opened his eyes to see a worried Rainbow Dash pored over him, rubbing healing lotion on to his chest. He looked around to see where he was; he was in his living quarters, spread out on his bed, his satchel hung up by the door. "I'm so sorry I didn't save you! I wasn't thinking straight, I was still getting over... what happened between us..." Partheus smirked. "So... how... bad... is it?" Rainbow Dash scanned Partheus' body. "Well, Fluttershy gave you a quick look, and apparently, you're just very, very bruised all over. No broken bones, thought that's probably because you landed in a bale of hay..." Partheus gasped. "Did any go in my mouth? I hate that stuff, bleh!" Partheus sat up and looked around. There was no one else in the room with them. Oh great, he thought. She could go in for the kill again. Let's try to avoid the topic for now. "So, how long have I been out?" "About three hours. When I got to you, it was just a pair of legs sticking out of a pile of splinters and hay. I thought I'd lost you..." Rainbow Dash began to shed tears. "It's all my fault! I shouldn't have been so impatient! Can you forgive me?" Partheus smiled. Well, he thought, so much for that idea... "Hey, of course I can! It's not your fault you like me, is it?" Rainbow Dash wiped her tears away. "Besides, like I said, I'm currently considering the thought of dating ponies. Just give me time to mull it over and we'll see what we can do, yes?" Rainbow Dash went over and nuzzled Partheus on the cheek. "Thanks, Partheus." Partheus didn't react to her nuzzling him like that; he couldn't move anyway, and it's not like anyone was watching...

Human characters are only bad if they are done badly. I'll admit, I hate most human characters in Equestria, partially because they are often self-inserts of the author, and partially because they simply don't fit the context of the show at all. For instance, most of them are just lazily magicked into Equestria with some nonsense science-fiction, with no real reason to be there. And, hardly any of them tackle the various philosophical and political issues this would raise. How would the citizens react to a strange creature like a human? How would they cope with the clash of ideals the human possesses? How would the human cope living in a world vastly different to his own, with vaguely recognisable features, but utterly alien concepts, such as talking horses? For one thing, Partheus is nothing like me as a person. He's the polar opposite of myself; instead of being an isolated individual who could make friends, but chooses not to, he is an out-going individual who can't seem to make many friends due to his human tendencies. Also, I have crafted a world figuratively and literally around Equestria, to give Partheus a well-justified reason for being there, and a chance to expand upon the tired old concept of "big monster threatens Equestria, Mane Six blast it with Elements of Harmony, rinse, repeat". Additionally, Partheus tackles these issues frequently in the RPs he is in. So, to the best of my knowledge and ability, Partheus is a human character done right.

"What's he going on about?" Partheus looked at Newsworthy with a raised eyebrow as he flew to Cloudsdale. "Oh, uh, nothing. He's just a bit tired from writing down everything that you're doing, and I suggested that he should... write a love story about him and my pet tortoise, Tank, to unwind a little. He didn't react very well to it, as you can see..." Partheus laughed out loud. "Yeah, he's a little touchy about people giving him stupid things to write about. I mean, a pony and a tortoise? Gosh, that's almost as bad as a pony and... well, a human, am I right?" He looked at Rainbow Dash, who suddenly looked sad. "Oh, was it something I said? I'm sorry, I know how you guys are with your inter-special relationships..." Rainbow Dash sat by Partheus on the cloud. "Well, um, about that..." Partheus looked at Rainbow Dash with a concerned look. "What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash looked at her hooves, blushing slightly. "I know how you humans are about dating other animals, but I was just wondering if..." Partheus stood up defiantly. "I know what you're thinking, and the answer is 'no'." Rainbow Dash looked more sombre. "I am not letting you set up a date with Twilight, and that's final..." Rainbow Dash's ears perked up. "Oh, is that what you thought I meant? No no no, of course not! I was thinking something a little more... personal than that..." Partheus maintained his look of utter bewilderment. "I'm... not following. Could you just tell me?" Rainbow Dash looked at Partheus with soft and regretful eyes. "Umm... how do I word this... err... I think it might be beneficial for both of us if we... go out..." Partheus still looked at Rainbow Dash confusedly. "...what?" Rainbow Dash clenched her hooves together. "Oh, I can't take this any more!" She grabbed him by the shoulders and gazed into his eyes. "Partheus, listen to me. I like you as a friend. But, I was thinking that it would be a waste if we left it at that. Think about this for a second; we both like being outdoors, we both like a challenge, and when the time arises, we both love nothing more than a good punch-up! We'd be perfect together, right?" Her eyes were beginning to well up with tears. Partheus was completely blown away. All this time I was worrying about Twilight fancying me, he thought, and it was Rainbow freakin' Dash who eventually posed the question? Equestria, you never cease to amaze me. Aww, but what do I do now? Look at the way she's looking at me with those big eyes of hers! I can't say no to her, it'll break her heart! But, at the same time, I'd feel rather guilty about going out with Rainbow Dash and not Twilight... Gah, what am I saying? She's a pony, for Torbolt's sake! It just isn't the done thing... in Hominopolis... Great, now I'm thinking about those darn demons again... Wait, what do they know about relationships? They don't even know what friendship is! Who cares about what they have to say about who I should and should not date? Besides, these ponies are a sentient race, not animals. If I refuse to date them because they are ponies, isn't that being racist? Fine, it's settled. I'm no longer going to refuse these mares just because they are ponies. The last thing I want to do is to spread the social niceties of that vile cesspool of hate around such a lovely place like this. Now, I have to figure out how else I can refuse them... and darn it, those eyes aren't helping matters! "Umm... well... I'm not saying this because I'm not into the idea of dating ponies..." Rainbow Dash looked on in anticipation. "And I appreciate that you have feelings for me... trust me, that's more than I can say about a few maidens I've met in my time... but, my point is, I'm simply not interested in dating anyone at the moment." Rainbow Dash's face sank slightly in disappointment. "You have my absolute word on this; even if you were a human, I would still say the same thing. But hey, that doesn't mean we can't still be friends. We can continue to do what we usually do together." He looked back into her rosey eyes. "Hey, who knows? Mabye you're right, and I will start warming up to you mares one day..." Rainbow Dash simply saw no other alternative. She grabbed Partheus tightly around his shoulders, and started to gently rub noses with him. Partheus was stunned; he didn't quite know what she was doing, and why. Then a sudden and horrible realisation came over him. Now, he thought, I'm no expert on horse relationships, but I'm fairly certain that when they rub noses like this, it's their version of a... kiss... Yep, I'm getting snogged by a pony right now... yep... eeyup... uh-huh... just let it sink in... okay... hey, this actually isn't that bad. It could be worse, though. She could be trying to... why can I suddenly feel a draft on my chest? He looked down to see Rainbow Dash slowly undoing the buttons on his shirt. He jumped back immediately. "Oh no you don't!" He did up the buttons Rainbow Dash had undone. "Look, I appreciate the offer, but I'm simply not ready yet. I'm barely used to the fact that you guys can talk. Give me some more time to think things through, okay?" Suddenly, he fell through the clouds; he had forgotten where he was, and had applied too much pressure to his feet when he jumped away from Rainbow Dash. He fell for a few seconds, then a few seconds more, and a few seconds more... Partheus came to the horrible realisation that he wasn't being saved any time soon. He tried grabbing the clouds that were whizzing past his head, but his hands kept slipping through. He looked back at Cloudsdale, which was slowly getting smaller and smaller with each passing second. Then, without warning, everything went black...