lordbrony

"[colour=#ff8c00]Well it wasn't a breakdown if you mean me losing control of my magic. I knew exactly what I was doing and why i was doing it[/colour]." Telki was a bit puzzled with the way the conversation was going. Telki left the remainder of her thoughts unsaid, instead deciding that acceding to what Heart Healer asked for might perhaps reveal something new to her.

With eyes fixated on the 3 balls, she focused on them; without warning 3 beams shot out of her horn, each grabbing a ball. The balls were then lifted to Heart Healer's chest level, spread out equidistant from each other, then made to revolve around her, suspended in midair by beams the converged over Heart Healer's head. It was as if she was standing in the middle of some giant foal's mobile made of bright red energy.

"[colour=#ff8c00]Is this good enough?[/colour]" she replied somewhat cheekily, and the balls started to move slowly up and down while in revolution, as if slowly nodding

(no worries, been busy with my stuff and this enforced break helps)

Hearing Heart Healer's words seemed to be like a shining light in the fog that was bogging Telki down; she remembered how when her magic first manifested she shut herself in her room with psychology books smuggled from her daddy's bookstore and tried to make sense of it all; somehow today, hearing those familiar words again seemed to comfort her.

Recomposing herself she turned to face Heart Healer and tried to muster her confidence before continuing.

"[colour=#FF8C00]I do try not to think about it, I always like to think of myself as cheerful and i don't really obsess about it. But it is still something that I always think of at the back of my mind sometimes[/colour]"

"[colour=#FF8C00]I don't know, maybe I'm just scared something bad might happen. I've never lost control before so maybe that's one thing I can look forward to[/colour]"

The world was beginning to look bright again

Telki was wondering if she had talked herself slowly into a corner. The half truths had the advantage of not being full on lies; so saying them with a straight face and keeping her story straight was not as hard; just annoying.

Trapped as she was in the web of her own weaving, Telki began to wonder if and when cracks would appear. Colton seemed to be very much like her; a wanderer, but the question of how much experience and knowledge came into play. Telki was kind of used to padding her resume by then, since many ponies at first glance had low expectations of her in her preferred fields, seeing as that she was small AND a mare AND to top it off her Manehattan accent probable stuck out a tad when surrounded by country ponies.

Turning to Colton, she stuck to her chosen approach "[colour=#FF8C00]Well I just came from the Apploosan Desert. Its quite the experience really, camping in a dark cave, meeting coyotes face to face." she let it hang[/colour].

Gerrard on the other hand was a sly one. His questions were more probing, more well thought out. His statement had by accident, hit the nail on the head, but yet she had one last card to play.

"[colour=#FF8C00]Hmmm...maybe. Telki's just a nickname that my friends in kindergarden gave me and it stuck. So it probably dosn't mean much, everypony except my parents use it.[/colour]" she gave a knowing wink and flashed a smile, as if they were playing some board game and Telki had in one move, undone the careful set up of Gerrard.

"[colour=#FF8C00]Well that enough about me, how long till we get there and do we lay all these pipes in one go or what[/colour]?

"[colour=#FF8C00]Well I'm just a small pony on her own and I don't really know if a pony is friend or foe..[/colour]" the words tumbled out, only for her to retrospectively realize how that sounded like a really really flimsy excuse."

"[colour=#FF8C00]I'm scared.... I'm scared that I might hurt somepony[/colour]". The tears has begun to flow in a trickle, and she squeezed her eyes to stem the flow.

"[colour=#FF8C00]It hasn't happened yet...but one day I might.....I might accidentally harm somepony. I still think I'm lucky I didn't hurt the robbers, all I remember was the anger..but somepony may not be so lucky......one day[/colour]"

Telki did not really know what the others would say to her announcement. Perhaps their already fragile morale would be shattered and trampled on by what she was presenting, perhaps they were too tired to care, perhaps this would be the last straw that pushes somepony over the edge...

Almost not daring to look, she raised her gaze. The white Pegasus had seemingly taken charge of the situation and was offering blankets and water skins. In her heart she sensed that beneath the gruff exterior the pegasus really did not mean any lasting harm to anypony. But then again, being violently tackled and then left in the lurch would probably raise trust issues in anypony. She'll probably have to be careful with that one, any futher conflict would probably not end well for either of them given the Pegasus's explosive temper and Telki's own stubborn refusal to back down. In any case, the pegasus seemed like she knew what she was doing, maybe this could be the chance to pick up a few pointers about being a traveler.

Strangly, the only one who was seemingly unaffected by the days events was that yellow filly; who was as energetic and upbeat now as when they had first met.

"What?"

"[colour=#FF8C00]Well the fruit is chewed in some places but I guess I can cut out those bits...[/colour]" her voice had seemingly lapsed into a unfamilar monotone ([colour=#FFA500]"[/colour][colour=#FF8C00]Probably from the fatigue"[/colour] she thought). "[colour=#FF8C00]Anypody want some....[/colour]"

Without really waiting for a reply, she approached and sat down heavily in front of the fire, letting her saddlebags slide off her back; leaving one apple still floating in front of her while setting the rest carefully on top of her saddlebags. Almost mechanically, she produced a small knife from her saddlebag then began to pick at the apple.

It was from one of the periodic gazes upwards that she noticed Crystal hugging Milky. No matter how bad she felt, she tried to take everything in stride as a consequence of her decision to travel. There was a mare who just seemed like all her hope and faith had been pulled out painfully bit by bit of her by circumstance, leaving only reluctant acceptance and resignation. Just like a filly she once knew, a filly she knew very well indeed.

"[colour=#FF8C00]Here you go[/colour]" she heard that unfamiliar monotone again as she sent that apple, which by now probably resembled something one might find at a very edgy sculpture gallery in Canterlot floating gently to that yellow filly.

Scra'pping the bottom of the barrel for her optimism, she tried to put on a brave face for Crystal.

"[colour=#FF8C00]Hey...don't feel so down[/colour]" she tried to catch the purple mare's attention, while putting on one of her trademark beaming smiles and trying to look and sound optimistic, tired as she was.

Still not fully trusting her "colleagues" Telki had to take a moment to come up with something, something that would seem passable yet not make her look vulnerable in anyway.

'[colour=#FF8C00]Just consider me your average adventurer. Though i need to work for bits[/colour]" Telki winked at Conor "With my skills it isn't really hard to find employment" she quickly added, hoping that that little half truth would pass unnoticed. "[colour=#FF8C00]Guess adventuring is my hobby. After all adventure is out there, always![/colour]" she finished dramatically.

"I like, meeting interesting people and going to sporting events. Did you know that there are sporting events in Equestria that don't involve the wonderbolts? Amazing I know," he added vaguely in a coy manner, the griffon wondering if either of the ponies knew them as well as he did.

"[colour=#FF8C00]I don't really follow the Wonderbolts" she said in response "I always get squeezed around in crowds like that so I try to avoid them. I'd like to squeeze back but I'm not big enough and using my magic is just unfair[/colour]"

[colour=#000000]“[/colour][colour=#FF8C00]Well it wasn’t an accident you see[/colour][colour=#000000]” Telki continued to keep her tone neutral.[/colour]

[colour=#000000]“[/colour][colour=#FF8C00]There was this time my Daddy’s store was being robbed and I tossed the robbers in a corner and kept them there; then there was this time where I thought somepony was going to attack me and I immobilized her from neck down; and there was this time I shut a pony up for a prank...[/colour][colour=#000000]” Telki sped through the list, perhaps misguidedly believing that if she said it quickly the gravity of her misdeeds would seem lighter..[/colour]

[colour=#000000]“[/colour][colour=#FF8C00]I don’t really regret doing any of it..well not really...[/colour][colour=#000000]”[/colour]

[colour=#000000]The emotions Telki felt began to bubble up much like the way an almost full pot bubbles over and she tried to keep a lid on it, thought Telki knew the momentary change in demeanor should have not escaped Heart Healer.[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Trying not to choke, she continued “[/colour][colour=#FF8C00]but I think its wrong for me not to. I mean I did those things easily without a second thought and I didn’t regret it after either. Is there something wrong with me?[/colour][colour=#000000]”[/colour]

She knew this would come sooner than later.

Telki heaved a sigh and collected her thoughts. Her mind wandered a bit, remembering a time when she was so fearful, so scared that the thought of her harming somepony haunted her thoughts like only the most persistent poltergeist can; till it was the first thought that greeted her in the morning and the last thought that tucked her in bed at night. Till.....

She shook her head to clear the random thoughts filling her mind. Surely from the practice she had the was pretty confident that she won't harm any pony accidently. What she found hard to say, was that she had used her magic on other ponies on purpose. It started with her handily subduing the ponies attempting to rob her fathers store, then a slow slide down the slippery slope and she found herself restraining ponies often against their will sometimes proactively striking out using the fear of her safety as a handy reason and sometimes for the most trivial, and frivolous of reasons.

Finally gathering the courage to speak out she spoke slowly and hesitantly, as if fearful that she might say something incriminating or that she'll regret forever.

"[colour=#FF8C00]Well" she tried to keep her voice as neutral as possible. "I have used my magic on other ponies before" But I've always had a good reason and I've always tried not to hurt them....[/colour]."

The desk between her and Heart Healer suddenly became very very big and Telki felt very very small, just like that time she said something sharp that made another filly cry and she got sent to the principal's office.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, dreading what Heart Healer would think of her now

78. If your OC ever enrolled in Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, they cannot have been given the dragon egg hatching examination. Only Twilight has ever taken that test. I learned this fact the hard way, haha.

I read quite a few OCs who used that plot device so what is this hard way you're referring to?

It was all beginning to get more and more surreal to Telki. First she was met with concern, then anger and a lingering feeling that she was acting insolent even though she was real careful, and finally with more grease than that food place in a corner of Manehattan that her bothers frequented, where they would occasionally dragged her too and the grease made her feel queasy for days.

Kind of like what she was feeling now at the griffon's words.

[colour=#40E0D0]I'm sure your magic'll come in handy plenty, Telki. Welcome aboard this little operation.[/colour]" Colton remarked as he fluttered over to the mare as they both started following the griffon, carrying all the things he needed.

"[colour=#40E0D0]Also, me and Gerrard have only known each other not even a day...and I get the feeling we're still figuring each other out...[/colour]" Colton chuckled, remaining largely optimistic as he directed his next words at Gerrard in particular, "[colour=#40E0D0]Isn't that right, buddy?[/colour]"

Turning her attention to Colton...she really didn't know what to make of him...on one hoof he seemed nice enough, and sincere too boot, maybe he's just another pony who stumbled upon Gerrard, looking for work. On the other hoof, he might just be the good cop in their little good-cop bad cop routine. What the routine was, she didn't want to know, but with enough luck it wouldn't involve her using her magic to....

Trying to shake the negative thoughts from her mind, she turned to Colton and game him a beaming smile. "[colour=#FF8C00]Thanks! This should be fun, whatever it is.[/colour]"

"And of course, we can't forget about Lady Telki. Know any cool spells? I have a friend, who requests to remain nameless, and she knows all kinds of tricky spells to confuse people. Or might I venture a guess that you have an awesome talent that isn't magic related at all? That would be very interesting."

"[colour=#FF8C00]I don't know, its not a trick anymore if you know what it is right?[/colour]" she replied, trying to blend equal parts 'coy' and 'nonchalant' into her tone. "[colour=#FF8C00]I don't know...maybe being good at magic is a pretty good talent in itself[/colour]" she winked.

Switching to 'perky', she continued. "[colour=#FF8C00]So are we there yet?[/colour]"

"[colour=#FF8C00]I did give Daddy's bookstore a try; but the paperwork got boring quickly. Shelving was slightly better since it was quite easy for me, but even that got boring after a fortnight or so. "[/colour]

[colour=#FF8C00]"Maybe that's why I'm traveling, I just can't see myself in one place forever and ever...... [/colour]"

"[colour=#FF8C00]About telekinesis...I don't know a lot of ponies I met usually say how lucky I am to have it. Not that I disagree with them but sometimes it seems that it is just dang-[/colour]" Telki stopped herself abruptly, realizing that her last sentence had just opened a HUGEEE can of worms.

nope, finding them in size 13s is hard D:

TPBM is a size 9 and below

Manechester

but how will I look spiffy without one?

none, Ruffles for me

Which is the best fast food chain ever?

Telki was momentarily taken aback by Gerrard's reaction. His town? Destroy? like a heavy rain, Gerrard's remaining words hit her one after the other. Unqualified? How many ponies would the griffon need to lay pipes at the rate that she could do without even breaking a sweat? Fly? Why would she need to anyway? Why if on;y she was fit and well, she'd probably be able to carry the pipes the way a foal walks around with a helium filled balloon!

Telki's mind started formulating a snarky remark, but her good sense held her back; after all she needed the work (but mainly the pay) and this griffon seemed to represent a good chance, perhaps the only chance she had at this point in time.

It was probably fortunate that Telki held her tongue for the griffon suddenly did a 180 and started acting cheerfully, and best of all, accepted her offer. Which was all she needed.

"[colour=#FF8C00]Well lets go![/colour]" she said, trying to mask her feelings as turned to follow Gerrard

"[colour=#FF8C00]I really don't know[/colour]" Telki replied matter of factly. "[colour=#FF8C00]I probably could take over the family business, but it'll be boring. Maybe that's why I'm traveling,..to find myself"[/colour]

[colour=#FF8C00]"I am getting good at using my magic, but it seems that that's all the marketable skills I have" [/colour] The thought of finding a trade that was palatable to her had crossed her mind, multiple times in fact, except that she just could not seem to decide on one that she felt was suitable

what if it was friendly?

[colour=#40E0D0]An ad for a job,[/colour]

Gerrard could detect a bit of concern on the face of Telki as she investigated the belongings of his pegasus employee. "Oh yeah, the other container that he is carrying is a big ol' bag of piping. We were on our way to extend the pipes from this town over to a local coal mine.

They had her at "job"

At the mention of the word, Telki's mind began to pick up, and she began to listen intently to Gerrard. If a mind could salivate, hers' surely would have drooled a puddle. Not only was there a potential job (which of course meant income) around, it was something right up her alley, injured knee and all.

Shuffling over to the pipes she gave them a look over and rapped one of them with her good leg. "[colour=#FF8C00]Shouldn't be too heavy or too difficult[/colour]" she thought.

Turning her mind back to matters at hand, she noticed that her injured knee was pretty poorly bandaged and that Gerrard and Colton had seemingly engaged in a bromantic hug.

"[colour=#FF8C00]Erm guys, could you pass the ban- oh never mind[/colour]" Telki focused on the the bandages and a beam of light shot out and levitated it some distance off the ground in front of her. Using her teeth she pulled the existing one off, then she turned back to the floating roll, a second beam carefully pulling on the edge, unraveling some of the roll then giving a massive tug to tear it off.

Setting the roll down she held out her injured leg as the strip of bandage wrapped itself around her knee, finally she magically pulled it tight, involuntarily grunting in the process as well as letting her eyes flare momentarily.

Finally satisfied with her bandage and thanking her lucky stars she had taken the precaution to read and practice some first aid before she left home, she turned back to the pair, only to notice Gerrard offering to escort her to town.

"[colour=#FF8C00]Thanks but I'll be fine" [/colour]she got back on all fours "[colour=#FF8C00]By the way since you are laying pipes can I join in? For fair pay of course[/colour]" trying to conceal her enthusiasm since after all, a good negotiator never lets the other side know how badly she wasnts something.

"[colour=#FF8C00]I don't know really[/colour]" Telki replied, her voice laced with uncertainty, yet still trying to sound upbeat. "[colour=#FF8C00]So far in my travels most of my jobs have been temporary manual labour. Well...not so manual since I don't actually need physical strength, just this.[/colour]" She rolled her eyes upward at the mention of "this" "[colour=#FF8C00]Mainly farming and construction so far but a few here and there whenever I can apply my magic[/colour]"

Almost absentmindedly, she rambled on. "[colour=#FF8C00]I don't know...somedays I just worry that if I wake up and my magic is gone. I wouldn't know what to do with myself...or what to do[/colour]" The realization hit her that that beyond her magic, she didn't really have any marketable skills since she didn't study any trades nor was she keen in the family business

probably only is allowed to wear metal jackets...

Speaking of which, is the latest Full Metal Jacket awesome or what?

"[colour=#FF8C00]Well I'll show you[/colour]" Telki replied, relieved that at least she could finally do something

"She turned her eyes towards one particular stack of papers and took a deep breath, then a small thin beam of light shone from her horn and enveloped the stack, and in the blink of an eye, more and more beams shot out, each "grabbing" onto a single sheet of paper, then forming a floating noticeboard-esque wall of pages just to her right.

She paused for a second and turned towards the "wall"; the many beams of light that formally held each page has reunited into one that was seemingly suspending the entire wall, then before Heart Healer could say anything, more beams shot out, each pulling the pages off the wall in a seemingly random pattern, leaving gaps. The papers coming to rest face down back on Heart Healer's desk. Once the wall was no more, as a final act, she flipped the stack around.

"[colour=#FF8C00]There, perfectly sorted[/colour]" she flashed her trademark smile. "[colour=#FF8C00]Don't worry I didn't read anything beyond the page numbers. And yes that what my cutie mark means, I think..[/colour]"

wont keeping the skeletons locked firmly in your closet be hard?

not me, preferred my lemons liquefied

Anything anyone has made better by adding lemon juice?

nah I dislike excessive cheese

TPBM wishes to take over the world