Immense Power [/ptfg/, Umbra]

>”Imagine you woke up one day with some immense power… what would you do with it?”

>You wonder what the hell is wrong with this guy
>You were just trying to get a quick coffee before heading to your next class
>And out of nowhere, this guy just sat at your table and started talking
>I mean, that’s fine and all, you like the conversation, even though you’ve never seen him before
>At first he seemed pretty normal, up until the point where he started asking you complete nonsense questions
>Just like that one
>You don’t really mind though
>This day has been boring as all fuck, and at this point rambling about nothing with this random person sounds like a fun distraction
>”So?”
>You stare at him as you think about your answer
>Something seems off with his eyes, making you feel a bit uneasy
>It’s probably just the lack of rest though
“Anything?”
>You chuckle
“Something over the top, and really egocentric. Build my own kingdom, or something like that.”
>He nods his head slowly, scratching his chin
>”Ah, the classics. Dreams of power and grandeur… wherever I go, I always find those. Fascinating.”
>Again, what’s with the cryptic sentences?
>He’s weird on so many levels, but you’re past the point of caring right now.
“And you? What would you do with those ‘immense powers!’ ?”
>You make a mock gesture of magic with your hands, but stop as you notice his gaze
>He gives you a wicked smile before standing up from the table
>”I ask myself that question every morning. And I always find a new answer.”
>It only takes him a few moments to leave the cafe.
>What a weirdo
>Too bad he left though, you were starting to like this nonsense
>You begin to gather your thing to leave, but take another look at the table and groan
>Fucker didn’t even pay for his drink!

>6:00am
>The alarm’s buzz tears through your still dreaming mind
>You trash around wildly in your bed, and somehow manage to slap the alarm clock into submission
>You leave your eyes closed, enjoying your five minutes of respite before the damn thing nags you again
>You think about the day ahead…
>...the hour-long train trip to the campus...
>...the various classes and assignments you forgot to finish...
>...the mountain of dirty clothes in the corner of your small flat...
>Wow, you’re literally bored in advance
>You search your mind for some thought to motivate yourself out of bed
>What was the things the guy had said the other day?
>”What if you woke up one day with some immense power?”
>You laugh to yourself, eyes still closed
>Yeah, sure. You’re the embodiment of power right now
>King Anonymous, Overlord of the city block...
>Great master of the laundromat...
>Holy spirit of procrastination...
>...Keeper of the lost pairs of socks?
>You run out of titles to give yourself as the alarm comes to life again
>Your eyes jolt open as you roll onto your side
>Your fumble for the ‘off’ switch, taking unusually long to find it
>Wow, what’s up with your arm today?
>...with your arm…?
>Your whole body freezes, eyes locked onto your limb
>Now, your vision is always a bit fuzzy in the morning
>But this time it’s definitely not your eyes that are fuzzy
>Your freaking arm is
>Slowly, you roll it from side to side
>Thick, grey fur covers all its length
>You give a tentative tap onto the clock, and you almost choke as you feel its plastic glide against the fur’s long strands
>That.. thing… is definitely yours
>Your breathing becomes heavier, uneven, as you try to bring your hand to your face
>At the tip, you only find a solid hoof, its black keratin hard as nails
>Your head swings to the other side
>Your other arm is just like this one
>Terror suddenly sweeps your mind as you try to get up, but you only manage to trip and almost fall out of the bed, with your back sliding against the hard floor, but your legs still caught amidst the covers
>Your mind is still screaming at you to wake up, but the way your lungs are burning tells you that this isn’t a dream
>You turn your head, frantically trying to see what has happened to the rest of your body
 >All of it is covered in that sea of grey hair
>Your legs, half-hidden under the covers, are bent in an odd shape, but they don’t feel broken
>Just above them, you can see a long, curvy black tail, currently shaking from side to side from your fear
>There’s no way this is happening
>It’s not happening
>It’s not-
>You whimper, then jump at the sound of your own voice… even your voice is wrong!
>Your whole body is rigid, trembling as you finally manage a coherent thought

>You’re a pony

>You finally stop freaking out long enough to think
>It’s the guy from the cafe, you’re sure of it
>You knew he seemed shady, but you certainly weren’t expecting anything like this
>Suddenly his remarks about power seem to make a little more sense
>...or even less sense, you’re not sure

>In any case, you have to find him somehow
>He has to still be around
>Because why would he turn you into a pony, then just leave without seeing the results?
>He seemed like the kind of guy to do such a thing for “entertainment”
>You certainly don’t feel entertained right now
>In any case, you can’t leave the house, unless you want to make this into an even bigger mess
>And you’re not sure you can turn the doorknob with your hooves anyway
>After a few moments spent thinking, you decide to call someone
>It’s still risky, but you can’t hope to stay here forever, if only for the fridge running low
>It takes you a little while to get the hang of walking with those legs
>You nearly fall twice during your trip towards the bedside table
>Sure enough, your phone is just where you left it yesterday
>You tap the screen with a hoof, then frown as it stays black
>You try again, a little harder, but still get no response
>Oh yeah, touchscreens don’t work with nails
>Hooves are like nails, right?
>So you need something else to use your phone
>You think about it for a minute, before you move your face closer to it
>This is going to be unpractical
>The tip of your warm muzzle touches the screen, and you you smile as it lights up
>It’s not easy getting through the menus, especially when each of your breaths fogs up the screen
>But with some effort, you eventually reach your contacts
>You hesitate quite a bit before hitting one of the names

>Matt
>You’ve known him for quite some time
>If there’s someone here you think you can trust, it’s probably him
>You tap your hoof nervously as the ringback sounds
>”Hey, Anon?”
>Your ears perk up
>His voice has quite a bit of static in it
>Crap, he’s probably on his way already
>So much for getting help right now
“Oh, uh, hi Matt.”
>You hear a laugh from the other end of the phone
>”Has Anon finally found a hot girlfriend, or has he just lost his phone?”
>Fuck, you forgot about your voice
>You sigh
“Alright, this is a bit hard to explain, but… it’s me. Anon.”
>”If you want to prank call me, you should try harder, mate.”
>You kick a hoof in annoyance
“I’m not joking! Look, I can’t really describe it right now, but something happened yesterday. I can’t leave the house. Do you think you could come over here?”
>He sounds perplexed
>Understandably
>”Hey, are you sick or something?”
“Something like that.”
>”Alright, I still have a few classes to attend this morning, but I can be over here in a few hours. Fine with you?”
“Yeah, that’s good. See you then.”
>”See ya!”

>You can’t really remember his schedule, but if you’re not mistaken, he’ll be busy until midday
>Probably won’t be there until 1pm
>That leaves you with the whole morning in front of you
>You groan, wondering what you can do with that time

>Suddenly, you realise you don’t even know what pony you are
>It’s been ages since you haven’t watched the show, and the vague grey coat doesn’t ring any bells
>You slowly make your way to the bathroom
>It feels weird going around the house being half as tall as you used to be
>Of course, the mirror is too high, too
>Thanks, My ‘Little’ Pony, you grumble to yourself
>You manage to push a chair in front of it with your forehead
>Getting atop it takes a little more effort

>You gasp in surprise
>In the mirror, you can see your face, covered in thick gray fur
>Your ears, thin and perky, are almost hidden in frazzled, black hair, streaming down your neck
>But something else catches your attention immediately
>A sharp, red horn, curves out from your forehead
>And your eyes…
>Red and green, a stream of thin, purple smoke seems to be rising out from them
>You give the mirror a small smile
>The pony in the mirror smiles back, with an air of authority and command that surprises you
>That small chair you’re sitting on almost feels like a throne for an instant
>...King Sombra?
>No, your face was definitely not that of a stallion
>Your thin smile widens into a noble smirk
>So that would make you…

>Queen Umbra

>You remember your conversation from the previous day
>So that's what Discord meant, eh?
>Because you're now sure that it was him
>He'd asked you a cryptic question about power
>You said you'd build your own kingdom...
>And he made you a Queen
>Somehow, you aren't completely against this...

>You stop your own thoughts
>What about your friends? Your family?
>You can't just give up your whole life to be a small royal equine, as nice as that sounds
>Even stepping outside the house is out of the question right now
>You can't live like this
>No, you need to find Discord somehow
>You doubt anyone else could do anything about this
>In the meantime, though...
>Your gaze flicks towards your horn
>A faint but persistent feel of power rests at its tip
>...no one said you can't have some fun with this

>You grunt in exasperation, giving the book in front of you a small kick with your hoof
>After an hour of trying to get your magic to work, you're almost ready to give up
>Looks like Discord hasn't been quite honest with the whole "immense power" thing
>You definitely feel some potential in your mind, but it feels like it'll take you some time to even begin controlling it
>You decide to try again, closing your eyes to concentrate
>Visualising the book, going over its every angle with your mind
>A warm sensation slowly makes its way into your horn... just like during your previous attempt
>You open your eyes and focus harder, trying to project your will onto the object in front of you
>Your feel like your glare could start a fire, with the way your eyes are locked in front of you
>A thin red field starts forming around the book's edges, swaying like smoke under the wind... just like last time
>You grit your teeth, feeling so close to your goal
>The book's corner gently comes off the ground, until half of it is neatly floating, the other half still resting on the ground...
>An instant later, the feeling in your horn disappears without warning, making the book fall back down with a poof.
>Just like last time

>Well, at least that's a start...
>You feel yourself yearning for more, though
>Something at the back of your mind isn't quite satisfied yet
>You just know you can do more, so much more...
>Once you manage levitation, who knows what else you could do?
>You sweep those thoughts aside for the moment
>Right now, your hunger is stronger than any desire for magical power
>The morning's events haven't exactly given you enough time to eat anything
>Leaving the book where it is -but not admitting defeat just yet-, you make your way towards the kitchen
>You're getting used to walking with this body quicker than you had expected
>Almost naturally, your every hoofstep is done in a deliberate, majestic motion
>Your head is held high, your eyes sweeping the kitchen in search of a fitting meal
>Man, it's been a while since you went down to the store
>The only things in sight are a box of cereal in a half-open cupboard, and some jam on table
>You ignore the jam- there's no way you can open the damn thing, let alone eat it without making a mess
>The cereal is another problem, though
>Raising your hoof as high as you can, it stays just out of reach of your best attempts at getting it
>You sit down in front of the cupboard with a frown
>The box is almost taunting you, keeping all its crispy, sweet contents away from you
>You decide to teach it a little lesson

>You focus once more, motivation decupled by your frustrated stomach
>The red glow of your magic appears quicker than before, swirling across the side of the box
>After a couple seconds, it slides a couple inches towards the edge of the cupboard
>You bite your lip, every other thought fading from your mind
>Everything is gone from the world, except for you... and the box
>It shifts again, and you do your best to strengthen your immaterial grip around it
>You smile as your tongue sticks out from your mouth, almost dripping in anticipation
>Just a little bit closer, and...
>The field around the box collapses
>Gravity soon reclaims its might as the box topples over, showering your mane with its contents
>You yelp and jump back, shaking your head from side to side
>On the floor, all of the cereal lies scattered across the room
>It is a sight of disappointment

>Looks like you'll have to wait for Matt's help until you can get something to eat
>You grudgingly leave the mess in the kitchen behind
>You will have your revenge against the cereal, though
>You pace around the living room for a little while, wondering what to do in the meantime
>Even though you'd love to try your magic again, you just feel too tired for that right now

>Oh yeah, your mane and tail are still a mess
>Your panicked trashing around in the bed this morning certainly didn't help
>Might as well get that sorted out
>Using your muzzle again, you flick through your phone and get some calm music to play
>You head to the bathroom and, after some effort, you manage to grasp a comb with the crease of your hoof
>It's certainly not practical, but it'll have to do for now
>You sit atop the chair again, straightening up to get a good look at yourself
>Raising a hoof to your hair, you gently work the comb around your wavy, jet black strands
>That feels... surprisingly nice
>You breathe a sigh of relief as it glides down to the tip of your hair
>You smooth out the little knots and bumps, letting it flow around both sides of your head
>Each movement across your curls is delightfully relaxing
>You take the opportunity to quickly brush your grey coat as well, giving it a more even appearance
>After a little while, you put the comb down and admire your work
>You puff up your chest and give the mirror a wide, smug smile
>Oh yes, you look absolutely regal
>It's still not perfect, though
>The back of your neck has been hard to get to, and your tail has escaped your efforts to reach it
>A thought comes across your mind
>Maybe you could get somebody to take care of that for you?
>You are a Queen, after all...

>After you have finished taking care of yourself, you head back to your bed
>You figure Matt should be there soon, so you just try to pass some time, not exactly doing much
>Now that you're half the size you used to be, the way your bed seems twice as large is quite amazing
>And comfy!
>Even the pillows seem huge, giving you all the more fuzz to snuggle against
>Eventually, you let your mind drift amidst the covers, until you hear a ring at the door

>Freaking finally
>You hop out of the bed and shake your head to freshen your mind
>Okay, how should you go about this?
>You can't risk having him freak out and leave the house
>All things considered, that would probably be your reaction
>You step towards the door and speak up
"Who is it?"
>Just to be sure
>You don't want to accidentally reveal yourself to anyone else
>But he voice from behind the door is familiar, and welcome
>"It's me, Anon. Went as fast as I could."
>You sigh in relief
"Alright, hang on a second."
>You look at the doorknob, and bite your lip
>This could be difficult

>Luckily for you, it isn't locked, but it's one of those door with no knob on the outside
>So Matt cannot help you
>You try to reach it with your hooves, but the mechanism won't budge
>You really wish your magic was working better right now
>You prop yourself up with your forelegs, grabbing hold of the handle with your teeth and twisting as hard as you can
>Your side bumps against the door as you lean against it for support
>"Hey, are you alright in here?"
>You grunt through the metal in your teeth
"Just give me a minute- gah!"
>This doorknob is really getting on your nerves
>How dare it get in the way of your goals?
>You frown, huffing through your nose
>How dare it get in the way of a Queen!
>Suddenly, you notice a now familiar glow around the handle, thin as smoke but glowing intensely
>Your horn feels warm, the indescribable feeling at its tip stronger than before
>With a simple will of your mind, it twists the handle in a single motion, then fades away, as quickly as it came
>The door cracks open, and you fall back down on all four hooves
>That was… odd

>You feel the door being pushed lightly from the other side, stopping as it hits agains your hoof
"No, wait!"
>You should get him inside before he sees you, there's less chance of him leaving that way
>You can feel the annoyance in his voice
>"Anon, could you tell me what's going on with you?"
>You quickly step into a nearby room, making sure not to pass in front of the slightly opened side of the door
"Just trust me, Matt. Step in and close the door behind you"
>After a heavy sigh, you can hear the sound of footsteps entering the house, and the door slamming shut
>"Is this some elaborate practical joke, or what?"
"It's not! Just… promise me you won't freak out."
>"Why should I? Fuck's sake Anon, explain yourself!"
>Screw it
>You walk back out of the room, coming in full view of your friend
>As he sees you, he takes one full step back
>Or two
>His face in painted with shock like you've rarely seen before
>Not too surprising, considering the situation
>"The FUCK!?"
>You raise a hoof towards him, but that only makes him reel back further
"Hold on- Matt! It's me, Anon!"
>He has his back to the door, his hand in a fierce grip around the handle
>"S-stay away!"
>He whips around, twisting the door's handle in panic
>A flicker passes through through your horn for an instant, your mind barely registering it
>He struggles to open the door, finding it locked
>You don't have time to question that as you sit down on the spot, trying to seem as less threatening as you can
>The purple smoke seeping out of your eyes probably does not help
"Remember that time where we were at your place, and you had lost your keys?"
>He stops moving for a moment , then turns towards you, his surprise turning into confusion
>You manage an awkward smile as you recall that story from a few years back
"Then while we were looking for them, we somehow ended up with you locked out of the house, and me locked in?"
>His fear seems to slowly dissipate as he stares at you dumbfounded
>The both of you stay silent for a moment
>"Holy crap, it's actually you."

>He looks at you with a mixture of awe and incomprehension
"I'm glad you're here, Matt."
>He slowly sits down on the spot, his back resting against the door
>"… How?"
"Talked with a suspicious guy yesterday who may or may not have been a god of trickery. Woke up like this. That's all I know."
>He moves a hand on his forehead with a half-hearted laugh
>"I knew you were in some trouble, but man… we don't see each other for a couple of days and you've become a horse! Anon, I…"
"I'm am NOT a horse."
>The words are out of your mouth before you've even realized you spoke them
>The authority in your voice surprises even you
>You know the truth in those words, though. You were so much more than that
>Your interruption catches him off guard
>"Believe me, that's what I'm seeing. A small, grey horse."
>To you, it almost feels like an insult
>After all those years, even your closest friend doesn't call you by your title?
"I… am Queen Umbra."

>He shakes his head with a sigh
>"What, is it a character from that pony show? Damnit Anon, you know I've never been into that."
>… a character?
>You realize what you were thinking just a second ago
>You open your mouth in surprise
>This is getting to your head, more than you thought it did
>You are Anon
>Umbra is a character. She doesn't exist
>Well, she technically does now, but…
>It's you
>… no, it's not! You just look like…
>Gah, this is too weird
>Your concern must be visible, as Matt sits up and takes a step towards you
>"Hey, what's the matter?"
>You take a deep breath, trying to gather your thoughts
"Nothing. I… this is all just confusing. I'm not sure what to think anymore."

>He gives you a smile as you sit up and tap your head with a hoof
>"Yeah, this is pretty far out. I can't even begin to understand how or why this is happening."
>"But you know what? There's one thing I know for sure. My friend needs me, and I'll do whatever I can to help. You can trust me on that."
>You look up at him, and return his smile
"That's why I called you, and not anyone else."
>As he rubs a hand against your shoulder, a single thought warms your heart
>You are lucky to have a friend so devoted to his Queen

>You sigh as you sit up
>Before you can even try figuring this out, you had a few more urgent things to do
"Matt? I haven't eaten anything since the morning. Could you give me a hand with that?"
>He looks perplexed for a moment before speaking
>"Oh yeah, those legs don't look practical for that. Sure, I'll go get something."
>You mouth a quick word of thanks before walking towards the couch, while he heads for the kitchen
>You lie down comfortably, relieved by the knowledge that food was finally coming
>"The fuck happened to your cereal, Anon? It's everywhere!"
>Damn, you'd forgotten about that
"Oh, it just fell. You should probably clean that."
>He pokes his head out of the doorway
>He looks clearly annoyed
>"You could at least ask nicely, you know?"
>You smile awkwardly
>That must have slipped your mind
"Err, please?"
>He sighs before returning inside the room
"Could you, you know, hurry up though? I've been waiting for ages for some food."
>You hear him mutter something to himself, but you can't quite understand what
>Hey, you've just been turned into a pony, and a Queen at that
>You think you're in the right to ask for some faster service

>After a little while, he steps back in the room, holding a plate with one hand and a glass with the other
>"There wasn't much in your kitchen, so I had to make-do with what I had."
>He sets down the plate in front of you before joining you on the couch
>Some diced potatoes one one side, and grapes on the other
>Simple, but you're too hungry to really think about that
"This shall do. Thank you."
>You're starting to like the sound of your voice
>Melodic, elegant, but carrying the mark of authority no matter what you say
>Keeping your head level, you gaze down at the food in your plate
>Your horn feels more "connected" to your mind right now
>Maybe it's the rest, the hunger, or the enjoyable way your friend was serving you
>Er, helping you
>In any case, you feel compelled to try your magic again
>It takes you much less effort to concentrate this time
>The glow has barely formed around one of the grapes that it is already shifting towards you
>It comes cleanly off its branch, and you waste no time bringing it to your mouth

>As you chew on the delicious, juicy fruit, you notice Matt is giving you an odd look
"What? Is it the magic?"
>He rolls his eyes before answering
>"You know what? This situation is already weird enough. I shouldn't even be surprised by details like that."
>You give a bitter laugh
"Guess so. Interesting part is that I could barely control it this morning, and it's pretty smooth just now."
>He seems to pause in thought for a moment as you float another piece of food to your lips
>"Say, in the show… that 'Umbra' character, is she… powerful?"
>That definitely gets your attention
>You smirk, nodding slowly to him
"Oh yes, powerful doesn't even begin to describe it…"
>He snorts
>"That much?"
"She ruled over an empire that even the Princesses feared."
>That was technically Sombra, but you don't care about that little detail
"And you know what? I certainly feel some power within me. Like some spark of potential just waiting to be harnessed… just within my reach."
>He seems a little surprised by your words, giving you an awkward chuckle
>"That's good then… should make finding the guy who changed you easier, right?"
>Oh…
>That was your intent, wasn't it?
>Some part of you almost feels upset
>How could you let such an opportunity go to waste?!
>…no, you've already thought about this
>You'll do whatever you can to find Discord, and you'll get him to change you back
>That's the best course of action

>…Right?

>You do your best not to think about all this
>After taking a moment to explain what happened yesterday in more detail, you keep chattering with Matt, occasionally interrupting the conversation to enjoy a piece of potato or grape
>Now that you roughly control it, levitation is becoming your new favourite thing
>It doesn't take long for the food to run out
>You give a satisfied sigh as the last grape disappears down your throat
>"So? What do you think we should do?"
>You bring a hoof to your chin in thought
"It's no use looking for Discord right now. I know he'll stay to admire his work, but I doubt we'll find him so soon after he's done it. It's better to wait until tomorrow."
>Truth is, you don't mind waiting a little longer before beginning your search
"I'm going to need you here, though."
>He hesitates for a second before answering
>"Sure, I guess I can't really leave you there. I'll pick up a few things at my place before tomorrow, then I can stay until this is sorted out."
>You nod briefly
>There was still the question of what to do with the rest of the day
>Say… wasn't there something you were having trouble with earlier this morning?

"Matt, would you grab the comb from the bathroom and fix my mane and tail?"
>He cocks his head to the side
>"Hm? Since when did you start caring about your hair?"
"It's just that I can't see behind my back. Makes keeping my appearance quite hard."
>"Really? I mean, it doesn't look so-"
>You press a hoof on his thigh, cutting his sentence
"Matt. I'd really appreciate it if you went to the bathroom… picked up that comb… and took care of my hair for a while."
>You lean towards him, your muzzle only inches away from his face
"Could you do that for me?"
>A tingling sensation passes through your horn
>For a split second, you think you saw something flicker in his eyes
>"Yes… I'll do that right now."
>Much better

You're not quite sure what made him change his mind, but that doesn't truly matter to you. It doesn't take him long to be back at your side, after he he does as you say and sits up to get the comb.
You move onto his lap, stretching your legs as you do so and resting your head against the couch. You can't wait for him to get started.

"Should I start by the tail?"

You chuckle to yourself. You don't care either way, but seeing him nod his head to your every command is much more satisfying. "No, the neck first".

"Alright, Anon."

You crane your head back towards him, with a frown on your features.

"What did I tell you about my name, Matt?"

He bites his lip, an apologetic look in his face. "Oh, sorry, Umbra."

He gently takes hold of the hair at the back of your neck, stroking it with the comb in a smooth motion. His fingers separate the strands one by one, allowing the comb to detangle them perfectly. You let your muscles relax, almost purring in delight. You can't understand how you ever could go without this in your life.

"Very good, Matt. Keep it up."

Come to think of it, you probably could have done this with your now precise levitation… but this was much better. You don't even care if it is really you or your new body making you say and think those things, but the feel of authority you get as your friend takes care of your hair like a good little servant is divine.

You know it's probably the most basic power fantasy out there, but every day here was a matter of taking orders from someone higher on the pecking order. It was difficult to get away from all that- who could? Rich heirs? Employees who rose above the ranks? You certainly were neither… but a Queen was different. Ruling was her utmost right, one that no one would question. It wasn't often that you got to taste a bit of royalty… might as well enjoy it as much as you could.

And you are certainly enjoying yourself right now. Matt goes over your hair, your tail and coat multiple times. Each time that he ask if he is done yet, you tell him to do it once more, finding a new pretext every time. All the tension is gone from your limbs and mind, between the warmth of Matt's body against yours, the delightful touch of his fingers, and the softness of the couch. The moment drags on and on, each minute mattering so much to you.

You don't even notice yourself falling asleep.

>Huh?
You open your eyes to the sight of… nothing. You roll your head from side to side with a groan. The lights are out, and it takes you a few moments to come to your senses. When did it get so dark? You must have fallen asleep… where's Matt?
You get an idea, and focus your horn as if to levitate something. The shimmering red glow of your magic is enough to get a view of your surroundings.

The flat is deadly silent, but you can see you are on your bed. You look at the sheets, carefully tucked around your body, and realize Matt must have carried you here. The thought warms your heart somewhat… how nice of him. You appreciate the dedication.

As you glance at the nearby clock (it's the middle of the night, which you had figured out already), you notice a small piece of paper, folded as to sit neatly next to it. You shuffle out of the sheets to get closer, struggling to see in the faint light of your horn. You recognize the handwriting immediately, sharp strokes of black ink reading:

>Went home to get food & clothes
>Will be back in the morning
>Good night!
> -Matt

You lean back into the bed with a sigh of content. Very well, you won't have to worry about food for now. Then again, why should you? You are a Queen, after all. A Queen doesn't worry herself over such things.
You close your eyes and let the light of your horn go out. Your head rests against the pillow, and you try to clear your mind, letting yourself drift off to sleep again…

…Any minute now, letting sleep…
…come to you…
…
…?

After some time spent half-awake, you realize that this simply isn't working. You never had any problems with sleep before, quite the contrary.
Truth is, you feel bored, so very bored. Not the kind of boredom that calls for rest, though. The kind that yearns to make you try out something new… but what?
You groan and roll in the bed, eyes open once again. What did royalty even do when they were bored?! You never really paid any attention to that period of History, so the only image that comes in your mind is that of King Richard from that classic Disney film, smiling as he admires his gold, jewelry and exotic fabrics...

Something in your mind definitely enjoys this thought. Rare, precious clothing, fit to be worn by a Queen such as you…
You think about it for a moment. It's pitch black outside, and your coat is barely a shade clearer. You'd barely stand out, and your light steps would go unheard...
Some part of you thinks this is probably a bad idea. Some other part is making you grin mischievously.

As you hop out of the bed and start making your way towards the door, you know which part has won.


Taking careful steps, your hooves barely making any noise, you make your way outside of your flat and peek out into the street.

You'd forgotten how good the city looked at night. Most of the neighborhood's streetlights are dimmed or broken, and you don't dare use your horn, but the few that still work give the street an air of strangeness that makes you smile. Only a couple of stars are visible in the sky, watching over you peacefully. The silence is only broken by the distant sound of the highway and the smooth howl of the wind.

You look around quickly- right, then left, then at the windows around for good measure- and smirk as you see that no one is around. Not surprising for this hour of the night, especially with how quiet the town usually is.
That means nothing is standing between you and your goal.

Staying close to the side of the street, you stroll peacefully, occasionally glancing behind yourself to make sure no one is here with you. The thought of being seen by someone is at the back of your mind, but walking around in your new form out in the open feels new and exhilarating. Back in your flat, you had barely walked at all, simply taking a few steps between rooms. But out here, with no walls to restrict your movements, you feel unstoppable. Each step fills you with determination.

You take a turn into another street, your destination clear in your mind. You pick up your pace, almost coming in sight of…

"Come on, it must have been your imagination."

>Fuck!
You jump in surprise, hooves skittering as you hide behind a nearby car. Your heart is beating in your chest as you try to make your breathing as silent as possible. "Who?!" and "Where?!" are the only conscious thoughts you can manage.
Another voice, one with a slight slur to it, joins the first.

"I swear, dude, that cat was hu-ge! C'mon, I think it moved over there."

You carefully raise your head to peek through the windshield, hind legs shaking nervously. There- you can see two people. From the way they were dressed and their slightly uneven gait, you can guess they were coming home from some late-night party…
…And they were headed straight for you.

You look around wildly, trying to find an issue. You don't have much time until they walk right past you, and with the way the first one was looking around for what he thought was a "huge cat", you doubt that they won't notice you.

>Think… think!
There's another car nearby you could hide behind, but you'd have to cross into the open. You take another peek, and immediately pull your head back. They're almost on you! Your mind starts running through what would happen if you were caught, every scenario worse than the next. What if they brought you to the police, and they put you in a kennel? Or if they took you into some horrible laboratory?… And what if they sold you to some sicko looking for exotic pets?

You need to hide, but there's nowhere to go. No options left. It's over.

You know you should have thought this through more carefully.

As they stop right in front of you, eyes locked on the spot where you are standing, only one frantic line of thought fills your mind:

>Disappear. You need to disappear. Evaporate from their sight.

You wince, eyes half closed. You want to run away, but your legs aren't listening, muscles tensed in a grip you cannot fight. You shakily raise your head and stare into the eyes of the two strangers. One of them looks intrigued, his eyes darting around you.

"Well?"

One more minute and you'll lose it. They're just staring at you. Not saying anything, not moving, just…

"I could have sworn it would be there!"

>What?
The other stranger gives a friendly punch on the shoulder to his friend, chuckling. They both move away slowly, returning to whatever path they were on.

"Bah, that's just one too many drinks for you. There's nothing there. Let's just get home."

Even as they walk farther away from you, you stay immobile, barely daring to breathe for fear of making noise. Finally, you hear their footsteps and voices fade into the night as they take a turn into another street. You let out a sigh of relief, taking a brief moment to let your respiration settle back into its rhythm.

>What the heck just happened?
They had been right in front of you. You thought you were done for! How did they not…
You look down at your legs… and see nothing. Moving your gaze across where your body and limbs should be, you can only see the ground where you are standing.
Before you have the time to freak out- which you were certainly about to do- you feel a pressure that you hadn't noticed before, in all the stress and confusion, slowly fading from your horn. Your body gradually becomes visible again, an ominous whisp of black smoke seeming to seep out from it, quickly fading with the light breeze.

You look at your forelegs in awe, watching the smoke thin out and disappear, leaving only your coat's fur, gently swaying under the breeze… and you start laughing as you realize what happened.

It starts out as just a brief chuckle. After a brief moment of silence, another giggle of incredulity makes its way through your muzzle. Before you know it, you are cackling to yourself like a cartoonish villain, keeping your voice just low enough as you sit back up.

You can feel your heart racing in excitement. Your magic was growing by the hour, you just knew it. This time, it hadn't even been a conscious effort. The spell had simply came to you as you needed it. You revel in the thought, mouth curled up in a determined smirk. Oh, all the possibilities… If you were capable of this, who knows what else was within your reach! All the spells and ideas you could soon bend to your will…

You step back into the street, moving swiftly and silently. There is still much to do, you feel… but you still had one goal for tonight.

After a short while, and having slipped past a couple more people on your way, you finally reach your destination, tapping your hooves in anticipation.

The local clothes store was a place you often passed by, but rarely stopped at. You only ever buy a few things there as you need them, not anything fancy or pretty. But from your time there, you know that they have some good material. Anything fitting for a Queen such as you? You'll have to find out.

You close your eyes and focus on the door, letting your thoughts drift aside, picturing the lock in your mind. Your feel a surge of energy flow through your horn.

The lock is in your way. You cannot let that be.

You hear a click and your eyes snap open. Giving the door a tentative push, you smirk as it swings aside. You give another thought, and an instant later your body fades once again, barely leaving a shimmer in its place. Your steps are light, almost impossible to hear for anyone but you, as you enter the store, leaving the door to close behind you.

You slowly walk amongst the rows upon rows of clothing, admiring some of the fine work you come across. Carefully crafted suits, hats, and a delightfully regal black dress all spark your attention.
But as you keep going through the store, you frown in slight disappointment. Of course, you think, you can't wear any of this with your new body. You can't believe you hadn't thought of that before coming here.

You start walking back down the aisle, but stop in your tracks and turn around as you notice another rack of clothing you hadn't seen before.

Scarves. All shapes and colors, all hanging in front of you in a rainbow of smooth fabric. You smile to yourself… maybe this trip wasn't for nothing after all.

Not using your levitation, for fear of disrupting your invisibility, you trot up to one that catches your eye.
Deep red, seeming just wide enough for your neck, it would complement your coat perfectly. You glide you hoof across its soft, velvet-like folds, imagining how regal you would look with it draped around your neck…

"Hello, Umbra."

You jump in surprise, your spell almost losing its coherence as you spin around, ready to make your escape if need be, and come face to face with…

Discord.

"Living up to your name, I can see? I thought it would have taken you longer to perform that spell, but you've been growing into a powerful little unicorn, haven't you?"

Standing far taller than you, with his head lowered close to your level, the draconequus looks nothing like the man you met the last day at the café, but you have no doubt that they are the same. Briefly, you wonder how surprised you would have been at this sight, if it wasn't for the events of the past days.

You stay silent for an moment, huffing through your muzzle. His features read amusement, and you feel like he is playing some joke at your expense. It almost feels insulting to you. You ponder an answer for a moment, before realizing you only have a question to give him.

"Why?"

He laughs, his long, snake-like body twisting as he sits down, mismatched legs crossed in front of him.

"Do you want an honest answer… 'Umbra' ?"

He pauses briefly, teeth showing behind his smiling maw.

"Surprisingly, being an immortal being gets old after some time.  You know, been there, done that, seen it all… there's enough to leave anyone bored. And trust me, it's very hard to bore me…

"But there's something that never fails to amaze me. And that's people like you. See, you mortals always wonder about bigger things, about what it would feel like to accomplish your wildest dreams, all the while knowing that those will never come true.

"So finding someone like you, and giving them everything they want… it is so very fascinating to watch. You always entertain those thoughts of power, and once I grant them, even I - a god of chaos!-  cannot know what will happen. No matter what city, planet or universe I find myself in, I always get to see new stories.

"And you, Umbra, have been a great show so far."

You scoff, intrigued by his understandable, yet otherworldly logic.

"You're telling me you completely threw my life off track and turned me into a character from a show… just to sit back and watch what would happen?"

He doesn't need to answer, the look in his eyes almost infuriating in its delight. He turns away from your gaze, his head hung low.

"I suppose I could change you back right now, if you wanted to… there are many others I could try this on. I have all the time in the world in front of me. You, on the other hand…"

You bite your lip, staying silent for a while. He's got you there. A big part of you doesn't want to give up this chance. You know that it's something you won't ever see again. As you slowly raise your gaze back towards him, he gives a low chuckle.

"Just like I thought."

"So what do you want from me?" you ask, a frown of annoyance on your muzzle.

He springs back up on his legs with a sly look. You wonder if it's intentional, or just his resting face.

"When we met, you spoke about a kingdom… I'm still waiting to see that.

"But a kingdom needs subjects, doesn't it? Maybe there's something you could do about that."

You frown, not understanding his train of thought. Then, your face lights up with a smile of your own. He seems pleased, chuckling as he turns around and starts walking towards the exit.

"I'm glad you finally caught the hint."

He gives you one last look before leaving, full of malice and determination.

"You have the power now, Umbra. Go ahead. Make me proud."

>	---------	---------	---------

The first rays of sunlight have only begun hitting on the apartment's windows. You take a deep breath, exhausted, yet impatient and anticipating.

It hadn't taken you much effort to sneak into Matt's place. No one had seen you along the way, and the lock had showed as little resistance as the one from the store.

He was supposed to head back to your flat in the morning, but he was still sleeping as you had entered the room, your horn already glowing.
The spell had taken you all night as he slept, unaware of what was going on, and for a while you nearly thought you had failed.

But here you are, leaning towards him in anticipation as you see him starting to wake up.

He groans, shifting on top of the covers as his head bumps against the wall next to his bed.

He slowly opens his eyes, catching sight of you, your face close to his.

"Umbra? What are you doing here?"

He tries to sit up, but stumbles, surprise visible on his face.

He turns his head back and his voice stays stuck in his throat. He blinks a few times, then frantically looks over himself, trying to understand what is happening.

You admire his new coat, clean and blue. You run your gaze across his strong frame and blocky muzzle, up to his blonde mane, with an almost crystal-like shimmer to it. In the midst of his messy, short strands, you can see the shape of his horn.

As a unicorn yourself, you can feel his… aura? Magic? You're not sure of the proper term. It's not as powerful as yours, far from that. But with him at your side, and who knows how many others after him, you'll have all the power you need.

He finally manages to look towards you, almost shaking in surprise.

"What is happening to-"

You interrupt, taking a step closer to him.

"Tell me, Matt, if you woke up some day with some immense power…"

You lean in further, your muzzle almost touching his, starting straight into his eyes.

"…What would you do with it?"

END