Valkyrie

Chapters

Chapter 1 (*)
Chapter 2 (*)
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5 (*)
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Back to the Past 1
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14

Chapter 1 (*)

Chapter 1

“Come on, Twilight. At least try to eat something. Tomorrow is an important day for all of us, and you can’t pass out from hunger on such a big day!” Pinkie Pie, outrageously pink with the puffiest mane and tail imaginable, jabbed a hoof at Twilight Sparkle’s thus far untouched plate. Twilight tried to return her smile, but found that her lips just couldn’t form the simple movement. Twilight glanced down at the food set before her, picking at pieces of it with her magenta tinged magic. The plate was pile high with her favorite foods: Stacks of hayfries, a daisy sunflower sandwich, and several greens and fruits besides. Tonight, however, Twilight couldn’t simply fall upon her food like she had in the past.

Pinkie Pie’s words rang true. Tomorrow would decide the future for Twilight Sparkle and the rest of the Canterlot Orphans. Tomorrow was Career Day, and would determine exactly what—if any—future Equestria had in store for her. Deep, deep down inside, the purple unicorn just knew she was being silly. From levitation to teleportation to complex spell casting, Twilight had studied them all and only wanted more. There was no way that Luna’s School for Gifted Unicorns would turn her down. She would become a mage, one of the powerful defenders of Equestria, ready to serve the Crown in times of need. She was yanked from her daydreams by another voice.

“Ah think she’s just nervous,” Applejack tossed down her fork and tipped her faithful Stetson forward, shading her emerald eyes a bit. Nothing made Applejack happier than to be outside in the heat of the Sun, tending apple trees and farming equipment. Twilight knew that Applejack was going to head directly into the Equestrian Rangers; an elite group of soldiers who farmed for a living, but acted as a defensive buffer to the Crown. With muscles like Applejack’s, the mare would be suited for little else. “Nerves are a dreadful thing, Twi. Don’t let em distract ya.”

“I’m not nervous,” Twilight protested, twirling a fork in her magic. She realized as she did so that this was a mistake.

Rainbow Dash glanced up from her own loaded plate, a comment already formed. “Of course Twilight is nervous! After all, who is going to want a unicorn mare that spends all of her time studying?” Sleek and smooth, Rainbow Dash was Wonderbolt material.

“I’m sure we're all nervous,” Fluttershy peeked her head out from behind her soft pink mane and offered a rare smile to Twilight, which the unicorn managed to return this time. Fluttershy lived up to her name, almost scared of her own shadow and too shy to make friends outside of her fellow Orphans. Her trusty first aid kit rested at the end of their table, within easy reach. As far as Twilight knew, Fluttershy never went anywhere without it.

“Well, I’m not!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed exuberantly. Twilight arched an eyebrow at her, which caused the bouncy mare to giggle. Pinkie Pie would almost certainly gravitate towards Equestria Intelligence. With a knack for baking or cooking, Pinkie already had the perfect alias to her name. Pinkie reached out an impossibly long hoof, almost as long as she was tall, and scooped up a doughnut from the platter of a passing waiter. She then proceeded to shove the entire thing into her mouth and swallow it whole.

Twilight sighed slightly, struggling to take her mind off tomorrow, and tried to become more active with her fellow Canterlot Orphans. The Canterlot Orphans were just that: orphan fillies and colts whose parents had died in service to the Crown. Her Royal Highness Princess Luna raised these foals as Children of Canterlot, offering them a place to stay and giving them a small stipend from the Treasury. A vast majority of the Orphans were taken in by other Canterlot nobles—with the recent exception being Twilight Sparkle. As young as she was, the aspiring mage knew exactly why, too: Friherrinna Twilena Star Sparkle av Twinkle was one of the last living descendants of one of the most important and influential Houses. As such, other nobility only saw her as a marriage contract that would allow them to gain more peerage. After turning her third foster family into a trio of toads, Princess Luna herself deigned to give Twilena living space within Canterlot. Twilight mentally shuddered. She hated her real name, much preferring the informal Twilight Sparkle.

Despite her attempt to ward off thoughts of her slight predicament, Twilight’s mind stubbornly refused to let it go. It was hard, being one of the last lines of one of the only Houses devoted purely to the Crown. It was even harder because she was a mare. Among other nobility in Canterlot, it was expected that Twilight Sparkle marry into some other House and raise foals. That should be her sole purpose, and nothing more. Twilight, however, had other plans. Being officially recognized by the Crown as a Canterlot Orphan, Twilight could participate in Career Day if she so chose. Once she turned seventeen, Twilight had a decision to make: She could both fold to the wishes of other nobility and find some stuffy old snob to marry, or she could find her own place in the world. It was Twilight’s every intention to do the latter. Career Day would provide that opportunity. When tomorrow comes, so too will the Masters of various branches of Equestria services. Should a Master Mage decide to accept Twilight Sparkle as an apprentice, she’ll be able to fully leave the plotting of other nobles behind. It would be tough going for a while, but doable. She’ll have at least two years of learning at Luna’s School for Gifted Unicorns, then another two years of study under her Master. After that, if her Master deems her competent enough, she’ll be out on her own, patrolling Equestria’s borders and keeping an eye on their enemies.

Twilight stood up from her still untouched plate suddenly. Ignoring the questions of the other Orphans, Twilight exited the palace kitchens and meandered down a random hallway. She knew her friends were only trying to help comfort her (maybe with the exception of Rainbow), but at the moment Twilight did not want their condolences. Maybe Rainbow was right after all, as loath as Twilight wanted to admit it. The reclusive unicorn spent so much of her time locked away studying, it was a wonder any Master would even look twice at her. She could barely even classify her fellow Orphans as actual friends. The general defense against the schemes attempted to be woven around her was to usually lock herself away with her books. Doing so also helped hide the fact that she was still a Blank Flank.

The thought of still not having her cutie mark caused Twilight to glance longingly back at her bare flanks. Canterlot Orphans almost never received their cutie marks until after Career Day, meaning they were usually the oldest ponies to never have one. As such, this lead to a lot of ridicule from much younger colts and fillies who already knew what they were going to do with their life. So yes, locking herself away in her own personal tower with her books was often a good idea. At least the books would not laugh at her. Twilight scowled slightly, kicking at the marble floor with a forehoof. She did not want to go back and attempt to eat, or to be surrounded by her Orphan-mates. Even her books did not beckon to her like they normally did. Unable to decide what to do now or even what she wanted to do, Twilight headed for the one place she could always find peace and quiet.

The Royal Gardens were like a second home to Twilight, coming only after her books and the library. The gardens were so vast, Twilight had several places she could go for total solitude, away from other ponies. Twilight’s hooves rang out on cobblestone as she stepped through the archway leading into the main lobby of the palace. The two pegasus guards stationed at either side nodded respectfully at the Orphan as she walked sedately past, heading directly to the Gardens off to one side. As Twilight passed the boundary into the Gardens proper, she let out a heartfelt sigh of relief. Her tense form relaxed, and her breathing came easier. It was always like this in the Gardens. The smell of various plants. The soothing shade of towering trees, blotting out the moonlight. The soft symphony of insects providing a pleasant background noise. Even the occasional wild rabbit or bird helped create a potent mix that struck a calming chord deep within Twilight. She often came here when plagued by thoughts of the past and future, and every time this magical place put her at ease.

Twilight immediately took a right, headed off to an obscure corner of the garden. Right now, she only sought peace and quiet. She did not want to think, or to make small talk, or anything. She just wanted to sit and do absolutely nothing but breathe in the crisp atmosphere around her. Twilight trotted right up to a small stone bench overshadowed by towering oaks. A slight outline that was whiter than the rest of the stone, matching her body when curled up, was a testament to how often the young unicorn came to this very bench. She clambered up onto the coolness and curled up, matching the indentation perfectly. She closed her eyes and just lay there, still as the rock she rested on. She barely even moved as she breathed. Even if somepony walked right by her, they would only see her if they move or tried to sit on her.

As Twilight lay there, in a state halfway between sleep and awareness, the lights in Canterlot Palace started to extinguish. One by one the many windows in the palace went out. Twilight’s ear flicked as she heard Pinkie Pie calling her name in the distance, but Twilight ignored the call. Eventually, there was only one light left shining in the palace, high above her. She could See it with her magical sight, and knew that it belonged to Princess Luna, ruler of Equestria. Undoubtedly the Monarch was still awake, pouring over papers and other important documents. The Princess often stayed up late, taking care of business so that she could continue to run Equestria as smoothly as possible.

Soon, however, even the light in Princess Luna’s chamber went out as the Royal prepared for some sleep before reawakening to lower the Moon and raise the Sun. Still, Twilight Sparkle remained on her bench, uncaring and unthinking. Slowly but surely, the gifted unicorn began to expand her consciousness outward. When she had first began training herself in turning her mind into a corporeal form, Twilight had barely managed to expand a few feet from her body. Practicing again and again allowed the purple mare to expand a little farther each time. Now, she could extend her consciousness well past the garden boundaries, and drape it across all of Canterlot Palace. She could feel almost everything like this. The bright pinpricks of her fellow Orphans were the easiest to pick out, as she spent a good deal of her time with them, whenever she was not studying. Each were currently in their rooms, wrapped in easy slumber. Twilight’s lips curved into a smile as she gently caressed each of them in turn. Despite what she told herself, Twilight had really come to care for the other Orphans.. Even Rainbow Dash, as brash and cocky as she was.

Next, Twilight sought out the familiar spark that was her brother. Captain Shining Armor was an orphan too, but not recognized as such by the Crown. He had already been a lieutenant when their parents passed away, and has since risen up through the ranks of the Canterlot Guard with unmatched determination and devotion. Thanks to Shining’s own ceaseless duties and Twilight’s studying, the siblings have not had much time to visit each other often. Twilight missed her brother dearly. He was the only family she had left, and fully supported his younger sister in her quest to be an independent mare. On several occasions Shining had personally offered to step in and take care of a particularly nasty noble. However, thanks to Twilight’s reclusiveness to ponies who were not fellow Orphans, Shining never really had to do much more than flex his military muscles.

With a small sigh of exertion, Twilight finally returned to her body. She clambered to her hooves, wincing at the slight cramps from remaining still for so long. In roughly seven hours she would be standing before the Masters, who would determine her future. Quickly and quietly, Twilight fled back to her tower, still struggling to keep her mind off the future and what it would hold. The young mare collapsed upon her bed with a grunt, where sleep finally took a hold of her tired mind.

Chapter 2 (*)

Chapter 2

The next morning dawned bright and warm. Twilight Sparkle had long since awoken, eaten breakfast, and now waited alone in the small chamber where Career Day would commence. None of the other Orphans had even gotten their own first meal of the day finished yet, but Twilight did not mind the solitude. She was not sure she could stomach the sight of her fellow Orphans already knowing where they would belong. Dash’s words from the night before once more returned to her mind, taunting her and laughing silently. After all, who is going to want a unicorn mare who spends all of her time studying?

Like she has in the past, Twilight struggled to just let Rainbow Dash’s words slide off her consciousness. The future Wonderbolt was impulsive and spoke without thinking, but Twilight knew that the cyan flier didn’t mean anything by it. Even despite knowing this, it was hard to just ignore what Dash had said. What Master would want her? Sure, she studied a lot, and probably knew more about most types of magic than other mages out there. But she never had any intention of just choosing one branch of magic and making that her course of study. She wanted to learn them all. She wanted to master them all. And no mage in their right mind would allow Twilight Sparkle to expand her knowledge outside what the Master taught. The best she could hope for was to at least be accepted into Luna’s School for Gifted Unicorns and go from there.

The door in front of her swung open slowly, and in marched the other four Orphans. One by one, they took their seats to either side of Twilight, offering small smiles or words of encouragement to the lavender unicorn. At the end of the procession marched Princess Luna’s secretary, Dry Parchment. It would be he who called in the Masters for this Career Day; Princess Luna was undoubtedly busy with other matters, and would not attend. Dry Parchment gave the gathered Orphans a cursory glance, and then proceeded to yet another door to the right of the one he had entered from. Through this door appeared various Masters, all dressed differently and of differing ages and coloration.

“Come on then, Orphans. Line up and let the Masters get a good look at you!” Dry Parchment’s voice matched his namesake, hoarse and cracking. One by one, Twilight and her friends rose and shuffled into a rough four pony line, facing the impassive Masters before them. They automatically lined up in age, from oldest to youngest; while the Orphans were all seventeen now, there were still differences in when they had been born. Applejack was first, being several months older than her Orphan-mates. Rainbow Dash was next, followed by Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and then Twilight at the very end, who had just turned seventeen today. The air of the room was tense, expectant, and charged with almost visible electricity.

Twilight eyed the Masters, taking in their various appearances. She recognized most of them, having actually grown up in the castle proper. The first in the group of Masters was some noble named Silver Bit. He was a unicorn, which was kind of odd seeing as he was the Supreme Commander of the Equestrian Rangers. How he had gotten a position at the head of a bunch of earth pony farmers Twilight didn’t know; Silver Bit was thin and small, with none of the impressive muscles one might expect. As his name suggested, his coat and mane were silver, with shifty, watery eyes and a trio of bits as his cutie mark. He sniffed slightly as he stared at the Orphans, his mouth curling into a disdainful frown.

Next, standing loosely next to Silver Bit, was the flaming Spitfire, Captain of the Wonderbolts. The fiery pegasus was every bit as sleek and smooth as Rainbow Dash, and looked coolly out of place in her signature Wonderbolt flight uniform. Spitfire wore tinted glasses and held herself loosely, distantly detached from the proceedings. Twilight felt her respect for the flier rise a bit. After Spitfire was Zecora, head of Equestrian Intelligence. To the best of Twilight’s knowledge, the Zebra Zecora was the only foreign Master seen in hundreds of years. With several ankle rings and piercings, coupled with a careless Mohawk, Zecora would be the last creature you’d expect to see at the head of a vast spy network. But her wit was as sharp as her eyes, and the Zebra missed nothing. She had eyes and ears everywhere. Then lastly, there was Shimmer, the lead doctor of the Medic Corps. The pegasus was dressed in a loose white lab coat that clashed magnificently with her maroon coat coloration. A stethoscope draped around her neck completed the classic doctor look.

It took Twilight a few moments of studying the masters to realize that there were no Mages among them. Her heart rate quickened considerably as she studied the Masters before her, and her mouth felt as dry as a desert. There were several she did not recognize, from less important positions, but, without a doubt, there were no Mages to be seen. Sweat started to bead upon her brow, and her eyes darted repeatedly to the exits. Rainbow Dash was right. Not even the lowest of Mages wanted her as an apprentice. She started to hyperventilate, and almost missed what Dry Parchment was now saying. Rainbow Dash glanced over at the unicorn briefly, and nudged her comfortingly. The cyan flier had noticed the same thing, but it would not do for Twilight to completely lose her head. Twilight calmed herself down enough to pay attention.

Dry Parchment was motioning Applejack forward impatiently. “Come on, now. Step forward, Orphan. State your name and preference, and we shall see if the Masters have a spot open for you.”

Applejack hesitated a bit, eyeing Silver Bit hesitantly. She lifted a hoof and took a half step forward. “Ah’m Applejack, Ah’d like to head tah the Equestrian Rangers.”

Silver Bit barely glanced at Applejack before nodding. “We’ve got space for her.” His voice was as watery as his eyes. Silver Bit turned to leave, clearly expecting Applejack to follow. The earth pony mare did, casting a slight frown at the back of her new superior.

“Jerk,” Spitfire muttered, barely audible. A smile twitched at the corner of Twilight's lips. Spitfire then promptly turned her attention to Rainbow Dash, who was next in line and starting to inch forward.

“Accepted, Cadet,” Spitfire said, before Dash even had a chance to state her name. “I expect to see you in the Wonderbolt Mess Hall bright and early tomorrow. Am I understood, Cadet?”

Dash snapped off a salute. “Yes, Ma’am!”

“Good,” was the only reply. “You might make a good Wonderbolt yet. Dismissed.” Rainbow Dash proceeded out the main doorway. Spitfire turned and promptly launched herself out the large, open window. Fluttershy tripped forward next, hiding behind her long pink mane.

“M-my name is Fluttershy,” she mumbled, her voice even further muffled by her hair. “I-I’d like to apply for Medic Corps.” Fluttershy cringed slightly at the end of her statement, clenching her pale eyes. Shimmer stepped forward softly, taking care not to startle the shy mare.

“Hmm,” the doctor hummed, studying Fluttershy carefully. “I can see the mark of a Whisperer in you, child, as well as your willingness to help those in need. You’ll go far in the Corps. Come, Fluttershy. Let us get you settled in.”

Fluttershy's eyes shot open to see Shimmer watching her with an encouraging smile. With a small smile of her own, Fluttershy began to follow Shimmer out of the room, leaving Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle behind. Pinkie Pie bounced forward already introducing herself.

“Hi, Zecora! I’m Pinkamena Diane Pie, but everyone calls me Pinkie Pie! The Equestrian Intelligence is right up my alley!”

The Zebra raised an eyebrow as Pinkie suddenly stopped hopping and appeared in Zecora’s Mohawk, looking upside down into the mare’s eyes. “Well, Pinkie Pie, it appears that you have a knack for surprise. I’ll take you under my wing, little one, and see how well you do with my network of spies.”

Without pausing a beat, Pinkie leapt out of Zecora’s mane and began bouncing out the door. “Oki doki Loki,” the pink mare sang. Zecora followed the little pink ball of energy out of the door, which closed with a booming finality.

Twilight Sparkle was left alone with a hoof-full of Masters she did not recognize. Her heart sank as she confirmed that not a single Master still in the room was a Mage. Still, the unicorn resolutely stepped forward and spoke in a soft voice with barely a quaver: “My name is Twilight Sparkle. And, well, I’d hoped to find a Mage Master…”

Hot tears began to well up in Twilight’s eyes as the reality of it hit her. There was no Mage here willing to take her under their guidance. It looked like Twilight had two choices now; she could choose a blacksmith or storeowner to become an apprentice to, or she could settle down with some grimy stallion from another noble House. If she were honest with herself, number two was starting to sound like the best choice. At least she’d still be able to read and study a small bit of magic. Before she could open her mouth again, a new voice interrupted.

“I shall account for this little one,” the voice said. Twilight went rigid in shock, as did Dry Parchment and the remaining Masters. She turned around so quickly she almost lost her balance and fell over. There, emerging from a hidden servant doorway was Princess Luna. The Equestrian Princess looked oddly comfortable, her silver regalia shining in the light of the midmorning sun. A small smile was tugging at the edges of her mouth as every pony present immediately dropped into a bow. Twilight Sparkle did the same, slightly later than everypony else. The Princess of the Night approached the young mare and laid a gentle hoof upon her shoulder.

“Rise, Twilight Sparkle. So, will you accept? Will you become my personal protégée?"

Twilight heard all of the words, but her mind stuck at one particular part. That simple word bounced ceaselessly inside her head. Protégé. Princess Luna wanted to be Twilight’s teacher. Princess Luna, the pony responsible for raising both the sun and the moon, wanted to become Twilight Sparkle’s mentor. Twilight slowly stood up, her face pale and clammy. Her breathing was harsh and ragged, sounding over loud in the sudden silence. After a few seconds of stunned silence, Twilight finally found her voice again.

“I would be honored, Princess, but I do not feel that I deserve such an honor as this.”

“Oh, posh, Twilight Sparkle. I have watched you since you first appeared as an Orphan. I have seen you ceaselessly studying; devouring books that even more advanced magicians would have troubles with. You are gifted, Twilight Sparkle, and I would help you learn to control your powers. Now, come, my new apprentice. We have much ground to cover in just today alone.”

Walking in a daze, Twilight Sparkle tripped after her new mentor, out the door and down yet another hallway.

________________________________

The first thing Twilight was assaulted with as she stepped into Princess Luna’s study was a wall of pristine white and a high, yet familiar voice. “Twilight, darling! It has simply been too long since I’ve last seen you!”

The wall of white detached itself from Twilight’s vision and formed itself into Rarity, another unicorn a year older than Twilight and the other Orphans. Rarity had once been an Orphan just like Twilight and the others, but, being a year older, the white unicorn had partook in Career Day just last year. Twilight had always wondered where her other friend had been accepted into; judging by the looks of things, Princess Luna had chosen Rarity as an apprentice as well.

“This is a surprise, Rarity! I’ve not seen you since your Career Day!”

“I know, darling! But Princess Luna wanted me to be kept a secret, so she could surprise you when she chose you as her protégée. I think she thought having a familiar face around might help you with your studies.”

“Indeed, that had been my intention,” Princess Luna stepped fully into the room. “I promise that I shall let the two of you catch up later, but at the moment, I need to assess Twilight and determine how I should go about instructing her. Rarity, why don’t you take the rest of the day off of your studies? I believe that some congratulations are in order for your other friends.”

With a un-lady like squeal, Rarity bounded out the door. Princess Luna closed it with a tendril of black magic. The Princess then turned to the still semi stunned Twilight Sparkle. “I am sorry to have scared you like that, Twilight Sparkle. I expressly forbid any Mage Masters showing up for today’s Career Day. I wanted you all to myself, without interference from other mages or nobility.”

“Its okay, Princess.” Twilight’s answer was automatic, her voice distant.

Princess Luna scowled sharply. “Please, Twilight, just call me Luna. I do not like hearing "Princess" all the time. First of all, let’s start with some basics. How familiar are you with the different branches of magic?”

Twilight considered her question carefully. “Well, Princ—Luna. There are ten different areas of magic. To my knowledge, the most common is the magic of Friendship. This branch is also the least studied, as Friendship usually manifests on its own. A good group of friends can often overcome any odds. After that, there is both the Light, and the Night. Light magic is simply there. Any magician can harness and use it, so long as they have the willpower. Night magic is a little different. You have to ask Night for its power, and usually have to give it something in return. Even a brief glimpse into the thoughts of a Night caster is enough to meet most requirements. Nature magic is often confused with the Light. Nature focuses on life and wellbeing, whereas Light gives strength and courage. Then there is also Love. Love is often tricky to handle, as it requires a user to be… intimate… and sexually active with another. These five together are often known as Accord Magic.

“The other five are known as Discord Magic. Animosity is probably the most common, and is practically the polar opposite of Friendship. Animosity can drive a caster to greater lengths to achieve his or her goal, without the help of others. After that comes Destruction, and Hatred. Destruction is just that, purely destructive. I have read that Destruction is designed solely to obliterate, using a casters inner disquiet. Hatred usually only comes to casters of sharp mind, and it also acts slowly with more precision. The last two are the fields that are the least studied, requiring recommendations from the most important ponies in Equestria before they can be studied. The less foul of the two is Chaos. This branch is unruly, uncivilized. It does not care who uses it or for what purpose, so long as it causes plenty of problems, big or small. The very last area of magic is… Necromancy. Nopony has studied Necromancy for years and years. The dead are more unpredictable that Chaos, and the dead should remain so.”

There was a small silence after Twilight finished. “Very good, Twilight,” Luna said, warmth coloring her tone. “Very few could name them as accurately as you just did. As my protégér, you will learn to tap into each and every branch of magic. From Friendship, to Necromancy, you will learn them all.”

“A—all of them?” Twilight stuttered. Her slight trepidation colored her tone.

“Yes, all. Do not worry so, Twilight. I will be here to teach you, and to guide you. Even Necromancy is not nearly so terrible when taught by one who knows what they are doing. Now, come. Let us grab some luncheon and prepare for your studies."

Chapter 3

Twilight watched in slight fascination as Luna went about the task of preparing a simple meal. At first, Twilight had wanted to question why on Equestria Princess Luna had a small kitchenette in her study of all places. Then Twilight reminded herself that Luna was a Princess, and therefore could have a kitchen anywhere she chose to. After that, Twilight became distracted just watching Luna. The Alicorn moved about the appliances with gentle grace, never once hurrying as she chopped some greens for a simple salad and sliced some fresh turkey meat for sandwiches. The latter was what Twilight was really looking forward to; Meat was quite rare in Equestria, as they could never grow it fast enough to feed an entire nation. Meat was usually reserved for special occasions like Hearth’s Warming Eve, and the rest of the time the ponies of Equestria made due with enhanced fruits and vegetables.

It took Twilight a few moments to realize that she was no longer just watching the Princess work. Time and again Twilight’s eyes were drawn to Luna’s seemingly natural beauty. Princess Luna was only a stretch or two taller than Twilight, but the Princess still had legs that gave the impression of being miles long. Luna’s backside was so smooth, rippling and coiling as the ruler of Equestria moved about. And her wings! They fanned the air gently every now and then as Luna stirred and mixed, full of downy tenderness and strong energy. Twilight felt her cheeks heat furiously and quickly averted her eyes, scolding herself for ogling the Princess so! Thankfully, by the time Princess Luna turned bearing a tray of food in her obsidian magic, Twilight had managed to wrest her blush under control. And her wandering eyes.

Luna plunked down a turkey and sunflower sandwich in front of her new student and set the salad aside for the moment. She gestured to the food. “Eat, Twilight. I find it easier to learn new things on a full stomach.”

Hesitating slightly (she was still in the presence of the Princess!) Twilight took a nibble from her sandwich. She immediately began eating with gusto, moaning slightly. It had been far too long since she had been able to have any meat at all. Princess Luna grinned, clearly pleased.

Twilight swallowed. “So, Princess—”

“Luna,” came the swift correction, and Twilight smiled slightly.

“Luna,” Twilight tried again. “Why exactly are you going to teach me about all ten branches of magic?”

Princess Luna actually arched an eyebrow. “Do you not wish to learn more about magic?”

Twilight was quick to assure her mentor. “Of course I do, Princess. But no other mage would accept an apprentice who wanted to study a branch of magic outside what they taught.”

Princess Luna frowned briefly at the renewed use of her title before she spoke. “I am also no mere mage, Twilight Sparkle. You have not escaped my notice, living in the palace. I’ve seen you diving into your studies, determined to learn everything you could about magic in general. Most other students are simply content to follow one path. Even from an early age, however, you were seeking knowledge on as many branches of magic as you could. Some magic, you discovered, are not exactly talked about in any depth in any of the books you’ve studied. Friendship and Animosity are examples of this, as those two do not always manifest in the clearest ways possible. Others, like Necromancy, are not talked about at all, merely glossed over with a hurried explanation. Yet no matter what you managed to read, no book at the Canterlot Archives actually taught you the proper techniques for magic, did they?”

Twilight took another bite of her sandwich before answering. “No. What little I do know about magic I taught myself. It was enough that I could impress any Master I wanted. But that plan didn’t go over well. I didn’t see a single mage at the time of my Choosing.”

“Because I warned them to stay away, Twilight,” Luna spoke gently. “I told them, under no circumstances, were any Mage to appear at your Choosing. I had chosen you to be my next protégée long before any of those fools had their eyes on you.”

Twilight looked up at this revelation, eyes wide. “But why, Princess? I am naught but a curious unicorn filly who loves to read. What if I don’t live up to your expectations?”

Princess Luna chuckled a tiny bit, finally understanding what was eating away at her new student. “I chose you because I can see your potential, Twilight Sparkle. And I shall leave it at that. But know this: You won’t ever disappoint me, Twilight. I know you will always put forth your best effort, and that is good enough for me. Now, come. I see that you have finished your lunch, as have I. I’ve got some books I’d like you to read a few passages from. After that, I believe I can find some other stuff for you to work on.”

Luna stood up, clearing the small table with a pulse from her horn. In the same pulse, she levitated two thick tomes over to Twilight. Tilting her head sideways, Twilight read the titles: Military Equestria and Basic Guide to Magic.

“These two books will become your primary sources of information for the time being. A good deal of your initial studies will revolve around these two. I’ve already marked the pages I would like you to read from. Start with Military Equestria and go from there. I must take care of a small bit of business, and then I will return.”

With that, Princess Luna was gone. Frowning a bit at her teacher’s sudden disappearance, Twilight cracked open the first book she had been told to read. The unicorn rifled through the pages until she found the pages marked by a magical bookmark and began to read.

Equestria’s Military Forces. **Equestrian Rangers* –The Rangers very rarely fight off of Equestria’s soil. This branch of the military acts as a “national guard” of sorts, mobilizing in the event Equestria becomes invaded. In times of relative peace, the Rangers comprise about sixty percent of Equestria’s food sources, farming land in addition to performing regular military exercises. If Equestria is ever besieged, only forty percent of the Ranger’s full might are ever engaged at one time, allowing the nation to continue to produce enough food to withstand an invasion that may last years.*

That was certainly interesting. Twilight had known that Equestrian Rangers were designed to protect the Crown, but she had no idea that their deployment was so intricate. With a good portion of the Rangers still helping produce food, Equestria would prove to be a difficult nation to take by direct force. Twilight read on.

**The Wonderbolts* –“Faster, Swifter, Stronger” is the motto of the Wonderbolts, and it is a motto they strive to uphold each and every day. The Bolts are hands down the best aerial force Sol has ever seen, the first deployed to an engagement and the last to leave. Ancient pegasi magic combined with aerial moves introduced by the iconic Commander Hurricane has given the Bolts a reputation well deserved. Undying loyalty to the Crown they serve and to each other leaves the Wonderbolts as Equestria’s oldest military force.*

So that was what Rainbow Dash was getting herself into. It sounded like the Wonderbolts strived to be the very best, all the time. It seemed rather unrealistic to Twilight, and the studious mare wondered if Dash would be up to the challenge.

**Medic Corps* –The Medic Corps have been around as long as the Wonderbolts. Comprised of animal Whisperers and the best doctors Equestria can provide, the Corps is the singular force that keeps Equestria breathing. From combating sickness in Equestria’s many cities and towns, to practicing their art upon the field of battle, the Corps provide the muscle behind recovery.*

Well, that certainly sounded right up Fluttershy’s alley, if she could get over her intense shyness. Twilight didn’t know any other pony that would care so much for a complete stranger.

**Canterlot Guard* --The Canterlot Guard is one of the last lines of defense for the Equestrian Crown. They mainly police the palace and the grounds itself, although it has been known for Canterlot Guards to sign contracts with other nobility.*

That was what Shining Armor was, a Canterlot Guard. Nothing made her brother happier than to be defending the Princess.

**Equestrian Intelligence* –EI knows everything. A vast spy network comprised of undercover agents everywhere, Equestrian Intelligence ensures the nation they serve is prepared for anything. Every major plan, every notable event usually revolves around an EI combat agent. They operate from the shadows, usually shaping Equestria’s future more than any other military force.*

Equestrian Intelligence had Pinkie Pie written all over it. That pony knew things about other ponies she had no business knowing about. It didn’t matter if it was a thought never spoken aloud. Pinkie Pie would still know about it.

**Arcane Brigade* –If there is one thing the enemies of Equestria fear, it is Princess Luna’s Arcane Brigade. Comprised of the most deadly spell casters ever born, the Brigade only enters a conflict when the need is dire. The Brigade guards their magical secrets jealously, ensuring that enemies know next to nothing about them. The Brigade is also responsible for Equestria’s advancements with magic.*

The Arcane Brigade. The name sent pleasing shivers down Twilight’s spine. She had always dreamed that she would have a chance to join the Brigade, after learning all she could from a Master Mage. The Brigade solved everything, and Twilight would love nothing more than to be that part of Equestria’s forces. Perhaps Luna would allow her to join the Brigade after Twilight completed her training.

**The Valkyrie* –If the Arcane Brigade brings fear to Equestria’s enemies, then Princess Luna’s Valkyrie brings unbridled terror. Throughout Equestria’s history, the Valkyrie has been a mare every bit as powerful as Princess Luna herself. Records show that victory is guaranteed when the Valkyrie takes to the battlefield. Mastering every branch of magic known to Sol, the Valkyrie is Princess Luna’s right hoof, meting out justice where she sees fit. The other branches of military also directly answer to the Valkyrie, rather than Princess Luna.*

This was a name that brought back foalhood memories. Everypony knew who the Valkyrie had been. Respected, feared, and loved as much as the Princess herself, the last Valkyrie vanished sometime during the giant War almost a thousand years ago. To the best of Twilight’s knowledge, there has not been one since.

**Princess Luna* –There has only been one instance where the Princess of Equestria has entered combat personally. This was back during the War of the Sun and Moon decades ago, when the usurper Corona Flare attempted to claim the throne of Equestria. The details of this war are vague at best, but it is a testament of Princess Luna’s prowess that Corona Flare is no more.*

Twilight remembered reading vague details about this war. All anypony remembered was that Corona Flare attempted to usurp Princess Luna’s position, to bring about never-ending day. After a vicious war, Princess Luna emerged victorious, and supposedly banished Flare into the Sun. At the time, Twilight had thought the tale was simply something to entertain young foals. After seeing Princess Luna up close, and feeling her majestic power, Twilight was starting to think that perhaps there was a grain of truth to this story. With a thoughtful expression, Twilight opened the second text.

Magical Basics

Magic is a part of everything. From the visible and flashy magic of unicorns and other casters, to the more subtle passive magic of ground and fliers, magic is everywhere. Over the years, magic has branched out into ten different categories, each with their own counterpart. They are as follows:There have been numerous disputes when categorizing magic as we know it. For example, a good many scholars and mages feel that Light and Night should be their own counterparts and that a new Accord Magic should be created for Destruction. However, this idea is not entirely sound and has been thus far ignored; Light magic focuses on strength, courage, and creating new things, while Destruction does the exact opposite.

Twilight knew all of this already. But Princess Luna undoubtedly had some reason to bring this to the forefront of the unicorn’s mind. Twilight was interrupted from her thoughts by the reappearance of Luna, who had a strange gleam in her eye.

“Good, you are finished reading! Now, let us set you up with some chores.”

“Chores?” Twilight echoed, confused. This was not what she had expected when Luna had said there she was going to teach Twilight magic.

“Yes, chores. Take a look around, Twilight. Are there any servants here?”

“No, Princess.” Twilight was confusion layered her voice, but she did have a small inkling of where this was going.

“Of course there is not! Servants rarely ever approach my study and its hallway; it is the one place they are forbidden from!”

This made sense. Twilight had noticed a distinct lack of servants on her walk here, despite the haze over her mind at the time. “So then I am going to perform the cleaning they are unable to do?” Try as she might, Twilight could not hide the disappointment coloring her words.

Luna finally had mercy on her student. “Relax, Twilight. You are not in trouble. This is my way of gauging your magical aptitude. I don’t want you to do anything overly fancy to accomplish what I ask of you. All you should need to do is some levitation and a few other minor spells. I want to test your control and see how you go about completing everyday tasks. Firstly, I would like you to clean up after our lunch. After that, the fireplace needs cleaning out and the mantle dusted. The rugs need to be dirt free. Then you can start on my bookshelves. Dust them and clean them. Make sure my books are all categorized. Once you are finished, then I can get a better idea of where to start you in your training.”

Twilight perked up a bit. Housework was nothing new to her, despite being of noble birth; growing up in the palace instead of a foster home meant she had to clean her own room on numerous occasions. The fact that the Princess wanted Twilight use magic made the work more bearable. Humming a faint tune, Twilight got started. Horn shimmering with a low key magenta glow, she attacked the stuff left over from lunch. A single horn wave removed leftover foodstuffs from utensils and surfaces, and then a further wave sent the implements sailing back to their proper place in the kitchenette. At the same time the purple unicorn attacked the fireplace, Vanishing the ash left over from its last use and whitening the bricks a bit. She then produced a small duster and proceeded to buff the mantle. By that time she had finished the lunch mess and moved onto the books and bookshelves.

Princess Luna watched her student with interest. She was using and maintaining spells constantly, without conscious effort. Twilight’s horn didn’t even shine any brighter than it had at first, signaling a record low power usage despite all the magic the unicorn was using. It was starting to look like taking Twilight as her personal protégé was a very good decision. As Luna watched her student, her eyes started to wander. Twilight was young, certainly, but no less an appealing mare. Her legs were sturdy and strong, a testimony to an active pony despite Twilight’s love for books. The fact that Twilight was not some fat, lazy scholar was a very good thing, in Luna’s book. While Twilight was nowhere near as glossy and graceful as Luna, there was a certain symphony about her movements, as the unicorn turned slightly to keep an eye on her spells. And besides, gracefulness would come in time. All in all, she was confident that she had chosen well. Twilight would make a good Valkyrie.

Chapter 4

Twilight Sparkle lay there, staring up at the ceiling above her. The bed was softer and more comfortable than anything she had ever slept on. Her personal quarters were far bigger than she was used to, and yet none of that mattered at the moment. All that mattered were her slow breaths and her own thoughts. In just a few short hours, she will have been Princess Luna’s personal student for a full day. The full implications daunted her as much as they thrilled her. Nopony else in years has ever been in the position she found herself in. She had asked, curious as to why she was different from the other apprentices Luna had. Luna had told her, quite simply, that Twilight was in an entirely different league just because of her drive for knowledge and her own formidable power. Most apprentices, like Rarity, were content with choosing one branch of magic and studying every bit of magic that branch held. Twilight had become different just because she wanted to know more.

It was almost too much to take in. This time yesterday, she had been a young unicorn, an orphan, who had no idea exactly what was going to happen with her future. In hindsight, narrowing it down to finding a Master or a Mate was a bit foolish of her. Foolish or not, however, Twilight knew that if she had decided to do anything but become an apprentice, the Nobles of Canterlot would not have rested until they had added her to one of their own families. Twilight had spent enough time in Canterlot to know that was just how the nobles worked. They only looked out for themselves, first and foremost, and nothing else mattered. With the near decimation of the Twinkle House, there was now only one, maybe two Houses still completely dedicated solely to the Crown. The rest of them were utterly worthless for anything.

The thought of House Twinkle’s plight brought a slight frown to Twilight’s lips as she thought. Now that she was out of the shadow of other greedy nobles, perhaps she could begin to rebuild House Twinkle? She wouldn’t have to marry if she did not want to; it would be easy enough to find deserving ponies and turn them into lesser nobles. Twilight even doubted that Princess Luna would have a problem with this idea. Other nobles would be incensed; bringing in outside blood to dilute the pure blood of nobility was an unthinkable crime. But Twilight had never really cared for their self-imposed ideals. It was a pony’s actions and contributions to society that made a pony worthy of being a noble, not the blood that ran through their veins. Or, maybe she could go one better: She could see what would be needed to turn House Twinkle into a clan.

A clan was a massive group of several nobles united under a single banner, or even the same set of ideals. The last clan recorded in the Equestrian Annals was way back in ancient times, when Princess Platinum led the unicorn faction with an iron fist. The only problem was, the Twinkle House didn’t have much in the way to offer other nobles as an incentive to form a clan. Twilight was not about to offer herself or her brother. Maybe she could ask Princess Luna for aid. She was sure her new mentor could come up with something; Twilight very much doubted Luna would want to lose the most loyal Equestrian House to the Crown. Resolving to broach the subject sometime later, Twilight Sparkle finally rolled out of her too soft bed and onto her hooves. Judging by the lightening of the sky outside her windows, she had perhaps an hour and a half before Princess Luna would raise the sun completely.

Twilight then began a routine she has partaken in for as long as she remembered. Every year, the day after her birthday, Twilight and Shining Armor would meet in Twilight’s favorite garden, and then proceed to the site of their parent’s grave. Twilight knew that the graves were empty; the bodies of her mother and father had never been recovered from their last Equestrian Intelligence field mission. But this fact never deterred the Sparkle siblings. The memory and spirit of their parents were enough. Truth be told, it was all they had, aside from each other. This ritual was what helped both of the young ponies cope with the fact that their parents were long since gone. Unlike Shining Armor, Twilight’s recollection of both Twilight Vevlet and Nightlight were vague at best. She had been barely more than a year and a half old at their passing, and the most she could recall were their voices. She couldn’t explain why, but she knew their voices as well as she knew her own.

Shining had it a bit more roughly than his baby sister. He had been four when the unexpected news was brought to them. Undoubtedly he could remember every detail of that fateful day, although he never talked about it. Twilight wasn’t even sure he could talk about it. He never once recounted that day to his sister, as if he wanted to spare her those terrifying memories. Twilight really couldn’t fault his logic, either: he was doing his best to protect his little Twilight. And that was extended to ensuring a particular memory was left unspoken of. Twilight sighed to herself softly before gently easing out of her quarters, gently treading past Rarity’s door.

Like usual, she found Shining Armor already waiting for her at the entrance to the gardens. Also like usual, he was in full guard uniform.

“Twiley!” Shining Armor exclaimed upon sighting the young unicorn. He pulled her into a firm hug. “It’s so good to see you again, little sis. I’d heard about your Career Day, but the Commander refused to let me take leave.”

“Shiny!” Twilight nuzzled her brother affectionately, as soon as she had a moment to speak. “It’s good to see you too, big brother.”

Shining laughed and roughed his sibling’s mane. “Come on, then. Let’s go visit mom and dad. We can catch up later.”

Twilight led the way from the gardens to the palace cemetery, picking a few flowers on her way. It was a short walk, and Twilight enjoyed the peaceful silence with her brother. Shining was one of the only ponies she ever felt at ease with. She didn’t have to worry about unwanted advances, or anything. It was just her and Shining, like it always has been. She really wouldn’t have it any other way, either. He brother knew her, the real her, the unicorn who preferred books over real friends (the other Orphans didn’t really count). She could even feel the extra spring in her step, one that Shining noticed and chuckled over. Twilight kept up her carefree manner until, threading their way through many tombstones, the two siblings stood before the two graves that meant more to them than anything at that moment.

As always, Shining went first. He knelt down upon his forehooves and gently brushed away a stray vine from the first tombstone. It read:

Nightlight Sparkle

Husband and father, may he never be forgotten

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”

“Well, pops,” Shining began. “I’ve done it. I’m Captain of the Canterlot Guard. I’m even poised to become the next Commander, as soon as Shattered Wing retires. Against the odds, I’ve done it. I hope that wherever you are now, you can look down on me and be proud to call me your son.”

Twilight knelt at the face of the tombstone next to her father’s, arranging her flowers as she did so. This one read:

Twilight Velvet

Wife and mother, may she never be forgotten.

“It is the mark of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

“Guess what mother? I’m the personal protégée to Princess Luna now. Can you believe it? She saw my eagerness to learn, not just a single branch of magic, but all magic. She promised to start teaching me, and guiding me. I think I’ve done you proud, mother. I’m living a dream I never thought would come true.”

Silence then reigned over the cemetery. Twilight and Shining sat there next to each other, sharing warmth. Neither spoke a word, but they didn’t need to. Both knew that they had more than lived up to the expectations of their parents. The last of the Twinkle line they may be, but that did not mean they were unworthy to carry on their House name. If anything, they were more determined than ever to become exceptional ponies in their respective fields. It wasn’t just about their parent’s memory. It was about showing the rest of Equestria that they were worthy of being a part of the Twinkle heritage. The first step was to prove they had what it takes. Then, as the sun began to peek over the horizon, Shining finally spoke.

“Are you angry with me, Twiley?” Shining’s voice was soft, laced with hidden grief.

Twilight turned to her brother in surprise. “Angry? Why would I be angry at you, big brother? You’re the only family I have.”

“That’s why you should hate me, Twilight. I abandoned you, left to fend for yourself while I followed my dream of becoming a Canterlot Guard.”

Twilight nearly groaned aloud. Her brother was still beating this around the bush? “I’m not mad at you, Shining, nor do I hate you. I know you wanted to follow your dream, and that’s okay. I wouldn’t have wanted you to do otherwise.”

“But—”

“No buts, big brother. Okay? What’s it going to take for you to understand you’re being silly? I didn’t mind being accepted as an Orphan. You were still there for me through the thick and the thin. You were still my rock, my pillar of support when I needed it. Hay, I was the one who told you to follow your dream. So why do you still beat yourself up over this?”

“I just… feel like a horrible brother. I should have found a job with easily accessible pay. I should have bought us a house to live in. I shouldn’t have let me sister live on her own.”

Twilight sighed. “Shining, you’re being retarded. Forgive me my language, but you are. There was no reason for you to give up your dreams to ‘take care’ of a sister who’s perfectly capable of living on her own. Or have you forgotten the fact that my foster families learned the hard way not to mess with me? And besides, you’re still missing one detail: Seeing as you are off in the Guard, I’m next in line to inherit the Twinkle assets. And I just turned of age yesterday.”

Shining Armor stared at his sister for a full thirty seconds before a grin stretched across his muzzle. “I had forgotten the inheritance.”

“Precisely,” Twilight answered a trifle smugly. “Now, not only am I still receiving a stipend from the Crown (which has probably doubled now that I am Princess Luna’s personal student), I’m inheriting everything our parents left us. And in case you have forgotten this too, our parents left a lot—As soon as I talk to Princess Luna and get it cleared with the realtors and lawyers, I’m probably going to be the second richest pony in Equestria, after Princess Luna. And if I honestly wanted to, I could start living in the Twinkle mansion. Now, will you please stop beating yourself up over this nonsense?”

Shining grinned ruefully. “Okay, okay, you win!”

Twilight laughed at that, then began to lead the way out of the cemetery. “Come on, big brother! We’ve got our own duties to return to!"

* * *

Rainbow Dash shrugged off her bulging saddlebags and sprawled across her cloud bed, whimpering with relief. Every muscle in her body felt like it was on fire; she had no idea that she could feel this sore, this exhausted. She was already starting to wonder if she’d even make it through her four years of the Wonderbolt Academy. She had been a cadet for barely a day and she was already feeling like she had been a cadet for a year. When Rainbow had applied for the Wonderbolts, Rainbow had an interesting notion of sleek pegasi screaming through the sky, while lesser ponies stared on with awed admiration. To her, the Wonderbolts had been the epitome of adventure and carefree flying, and Wonderbolt Cadets were pegasi to be envied.

It seemed that reality had a harsh wake up call. So far, Wonderbolt Cadets were pegasi who rose before the light of dawn and spent the hour before breakfast partaking in a rigorous course of physical training: galloping, using their wings to lift weights, and balancing upon their hind hooves and walking that way. Already tired from all of this, they had a chance to take a minute, then return to their dormitories, shower with cold water, and then make sure their dormitories were completely spotless. If there was so much as a misplaced speck of dust upon the floor, Soarin’, Wonderbolt second-in-command, would dump the contents of their kits onto the floor, upend their beds, and force them to do it all over again—during the time they should be having breakfast.

Breakfast, naturally, was nothing special—completely basic and barely filling. But Rainbow Dash was used too little breakfast during her personal training days, and so never complained even if she missed breakfast. The other new cadets weren’t so lucky, and if they missed breakfast, it as a long hard morning until lunch at mid afternoon. And even lunch was only about half an hour long. After breakfast there came three hours of classes for military history, tactical advantages, and so on; these classes were certainly not Rainbow’s strong suit. She hated anything to do with sitting still for an extended period of time or reading. But she soldiered through them, knowing that she would never become a Wonderbolt if she didn’t learn all of this important stuff.

Then after these classes, the cadets were required to run an obstacle course before they were allowed to head to lunch. The course was littered with rogue thunderclouds, shifting winds, and freezing patches of water. It also had to be completed in three minutes, and if somepony failed to complete it within that time, they were sent back to the start to try again—often resulting in lost time for lunch. While Rainbow as familiar with sometimes skipping breakfast, or having a sparse one, going without lunch was torture for the mare; as a result, she quickly learned to not make mistakes during the obstacle course.

Then after lunch came even more classes that bored the chromatic pegasus to tears, then a series of areal challenges designed to put your wings to the test—and even though Rainbow knew she exceeded well here, the challenges were still grueling and always varying. After those exercises, the cadets would form ranks and perform combat drills until the end of the school day, where they had two hours to themselves to unwind a tiny bit, repair gear and prepare for classes the next day—unless somepony earned a demerit during the day. If somepony earned a demerit, all of the cadets were punished. They were ordered to load their saddlebags full of rocks, and then had to complete the obstacle course five times in a row without stopping.

Rainbow had just finished one such run. Earlier in the day, one of Rainbow’s classmates was caught passing a note in Aerodynamics 1, and the instructor, Fleetfoot, confiscated it and read it out to the class: Apparently the pegasus stallion in question was attempting to set up a place for a little… tryst… with his marefriend after lights out and everypony else was supposed to be asleep. After assuring that there will never be any such activates allowed at the Academy, Fleetfoot had shredded the note and invited the entire class to fill their saddlebags and get to flying. After several snubs directed at the pegasus, the class did as they had been bid.

Rainbow Dash had eventually felt herself pulling away from the rest of them as she rounded the first bend of the course. Even after a single day the strict regime to the Academy was doing wonders for her. Not only was she feeling fitter than she ever had before, but her natural ability as an athlete also came into play. While others had issues with the hairpin turns, dodging rouge clouds and avoiding the water, Rainbow flitted by them with apparent ease, muscles burning for a respite. And in all honesty, she didn’t mind being in front of the proverbial pack. So far, she’s never really gotten a chance to know her classmates really well. She shared classes with them and sweat with them, but still had never really interacted with them. But still, she had shown them. None of the others were even back yet.

No sooner had she completed this thought that the door at the end of the dormitory crashed open. She propped herself on her elbow and inwardly groaned. Dumbbell, Fast Hoop, and Calamity strode up the rows between the perfectly made beds. They were second year cadets and had decided it was their calling in life to make Rainbow’s life as miserable as possible. The rainbow flier scrambled quickly to their hooves, but nowhere near fast enough.

“What are you doing in bed, Rainbow Crash? Dumbbell sneered. “You should be on the course with the rest of your loser classmates. Who do you think you are, that you can just skip instructor’s orders?” Fast Hoop and Calamity laughed. They weren’t overly bright, but certainly made up for it with brawn.

“I’ve already finished,” Rainbow replied tonelessly. “My time is my own before dinner.”

“Oh yea?” Dumbbell got a wicked glint in his eyes. “Well, I call you a liar! Get up from there and give me fifty wing-ups to make me forget about this and not report you to an instructor!”

Rainbow hesitated for a moment. Technically, she was bigger than these three goons. And she knew she was faster, without a doubt. If there was ever a confrontation, she knew she could beat them. But, there was also three of them and one of her. She was not about to take on all three of them at once. Nor was she about to report them to an instructor. If this was how first year cadets were supposed to be treated by higher cadets, then so be it. She’d just have to deal with whatever they threw at her and move on. However, Dumbbell must have seen the light of rebellion in Rainbow’s eyes for a moment.

“One hundred wing-ups! He ordered. “Now!”

With a grunt of aching muscles, Rainbow dropped to the floor and began doing push-ups with just her wings. As she began to rise up, she felt a hoof in the small of her back: Calamity had stepped forward, and was exerting just the right amount of pressure to ensure that Rainbow fount if hard to complete her assigned task. She grunted again, and Dumbbell yelled at her.

“Stop your whimpering, Crash! Move faster!”

Rainbow gritted her teeth. She wanted nothing more than to knock Calamity back and jump in with hooves swinging. But the last thing she needed was to be kicked from the Academy. So she soldiered on, determined to do what she was ordered. But it was on her sixth exercise that her wings spasmed, causing her to crash to the floor, stunned. Calamity raised his hoof as though to strike her unprotected back, but was interrupted by a new voice.

“Leave her be!” The voice was every bit as tomboyish has Rainbow’s, but still definitely feminine. Rainbow and her three tormenters whirled around at the newcomer: a sea green pegasus mare with a two-toned mustard yellow mane. Her topaz eyes surveyed the scene before her disgustedly.

“You’d better get out of here if you know what’s good for you,” Dumbbell swaggered. “This is between me and Crash here.”

“Well, I’m now making it about me. And if you think you can take on a third year cadet who’s been doing this longer than you, be my guest. Don’t go crying to your mommies when I put you in the hospital.”

Rainbow could see the three bullies hesitating. Then, with one last contemptuous look at Rainbow Dash, they stomped out, making sure to give the third year cadet a wide birth. The cadet then approached Dash, who still had not risen. She held out a hoof, with the chromatic flier accepted.

“I’m Lightning Dust,” the newcomer said. “Top of my class. You’re the one they call Rainbow Dash, aren’t you?”

Dash stretched her aching wings. “Yea, that’s me. Thanks for that, by the way.”

“Not a problem. I’ve been looking to have those three expelled for a while now, but they’ve never done anything serious enough to warrant it. Come on. Let’s go get dinner and see what happens from there.”

Chapter 5 (*)

Chapter 5

Twilight was excited. Today was going to be the first real day of her apprenticeship. The young unicorn had barely returned to her own quarters after the outing with Shining before a page had arrived, telling her to meet Princess Luna in her private study. Hardly able to contain her glee, Twilight had hurriedly made herself presentable and took off back down the corridor. She wondered which branch of magic Luna would teach her first. Each and every branch was important, of course, but she was secretly hoping that Luna would start with Light. Everything about that branch fascinated the bookish mare, from the extremely useful healing spells down to the simplest lighting spell. Or maybe they would start with Nature first, the magic that caused things to grow. Twilight has always wanted a small garden of her own, and maybe Luna would start with the magic that would make growing one easier. But a small part of her mind whispered that Luna would want to start with Discord magic, throwing a slight damper upon her enthusiasm.

Twilight wasn’t sure she would be able to handle that. A great many uneducated folk insisted that Discord-based magic was evil. Twilight scoffed at the idea, but it was true that Discord magic was… well… not very nice. Animosity, of course, was the opposite of Friendship. The most Twilight knew about it was that it focused on manipulating your foes, deceiving them and preventing them from becoming too attached to you. Animosity was a valued tool for unicorns in Equestria Intelligence, as it was perfect for making sure a spy kept their cover even if enemies knew they were there. Then came Destruction, a magic that took everything Light stood for and obliterated it. Destruction was probably the only branch of magic with so much raw, pure power. Then there was Chaos, a magic that focused on turning reality upside down, and Hatred, which turned your most personal feelings into a tangible weapon. Lastly… there was Necromancy.

To be honest, this was the branch of Discord magic Twilight was afraid of the most. There was so little actually published on the subject. Very few unicorns ever practiced Necromancy, and the ones who did were always closely watched by Princess Luna. It was rumored that bringing the dead back to life was impossible, but if it was, Necromancy would not be able to exist. Twilight was so wrapped up in her own thoughts and worries that she didn’t even notice she had passed the hallway leading to Luna’s study. It wasn’t until she ran smack into a suit of armor she didn’t recall being there previously that she realized her mistake. The unicorn backtracked to the correct hallway and proceeded down it, struggling to calm her nerves. Princess Luna knew what she was doing. If she wanted to teach Twilight Necromancy, everything was going to be all right. Twilight knocked gently upon the door to the study.

“Enter,” came the call.

Twilight nudged open the door with a hoof and walked into the spacious room. Princess Luna was seated at the table they had eaten at yesterday, smiling gently at her newest apprentice. For a brief moment, Twilight thought she saw something else in the princess' eyes. But just as quickly it was gone again, leaving Twilight unsure if she had seen it or not. Twilight bowed slightly to the princess.

“Luna,” she said, waiting for be acknowledged.

The princess was quick to do so, beckoning her student forward and gesturing to a chair opposite her. “Come, Twilight. We have much to start on. I trust that your morning with your brother was satisfactory?”

Twilight jumped a little, surprised at the question. “Well, eh, yes, it was.” She stammered. “How did you know about that?”

Luna smiled. “I know all about your yearly excursions to the graves of your parents. It is one of the things that helps keep you going.”

Twilight was quiet a moment, slightly saddened. “It does. I only wish they could be here to see me now.”

Luna reached a hoof out to ruffle Twilight’s mane. “I’m sure they can see you now, wherever they are. And I know they would be proud of their only daughter, my faithful student.”

Twilight stared up at Luna, before smiling weakly. “Thank you, princess. I’m going to make sure I do my best. For them.”

Luna nodded. “A wise choice. As you may have surmised, today we are going to properly start your training. However, I must warn you that you must also start learning to properly wield a weapon.”

Twilight looked to her mentor, surprised. “A weapon? What does a weapon have to do with learning magic?”

“Several things, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna admonished. “Unfortunately, seeing as I do not want to spoil so many of your lessons, I can’t really give you a whole lot of details. But you should know, every branch of magic requires the caster to have some form of weapon. It can be something as simple as a quarterstaff, or as brutal as an ax. Most mages settle for something small, like a dagger or swortshord, as they only study one particular branch of magic. You are, of course, free to make your decision on what type of weapon you use., yet I would suggest something capable of holding your magic potential. Now, come. We head to the training grounds.”

More than a little confused by Luna’s words, the unsure unicorn followed her mentor right back out of the study. They set off down a corridor with a brief pacing, barely even glancing at the guards and servants they passed. Twilight, naturally, was lost in thought. She had never heard of any branch of magic requiring a weapon before. as far as she knew, you just said an incantation aloud (if there was one) and cast the spell. But apparently this was not the case. Twilight wasn’t overly concerned about being subpar with weaponry, however. Growing up with a brother in the guard had meant that Twilight often sparred with him whenever he came to visit, and even sometimes by herself when she was really bored and even her books couldn’t keep her company. While she has by no means mastered any one weapon, Twilight felt confident she could at least hold her own no matter what she was using.

Twilight hadn't even noticed that she had followed Luna right out of Canterlot castle and into the nearby training grounds, situated almost right smack in the middle of the giant courtyard. She was even more surprised when Shining Armor trotted up in his full guard armor, helmet tucked under one arm. He sketched a quick bow. “Princess Luna, Twilight. How can I help you two today?”

“I’m actually here to pick up a weapon for my student here, Captain Armor. See as she is your sister, I thought perhaps you might have some idea of what type of weapon might suit her?”

Shining Armor actually grinned. “Do I ever!”

The stallion led the pair over to a weapons rack standing next to the captain’s tent. And there it was, in all of its beautiful and deadly glory: A glaive, specially designed for one Twilight Sparkle. It was easily as long as she was tall while standing on her rear hooves, about four feet. The pole was made of ash and colored lavender, and if one looked closely, they could see the strengthening and durability enchantments upon the wood. The blade was just as impressive, one and a half feet of gleaming Brightsteel, straight and deadly. Near the end of the pole, two scarlet phoenix feathers were attached.

“Wow,” Luna breathed. That right there was what caught Twilight’s attention. Princess Luna was impressed.

Twilight couldn’t stop a half-smirk from forming upon her lips as she stepped closer to the majestic weapon. “It was the very first weapon I even came close to mastering. I was tired of Shining whacking me repeatedly when we sparred, because I just couldn’t find a weapon I was comfortable with. So I had this forged, specially designed for me. I enjoyed the feel of a spear, but didn’t like having to stab. I liked the idea of the cutting prowess of a short sword, but it simply didn’t have the reach I wanted. So, I combined the two and came up with… Grace.” As Twilight spoke the name, the glaive rose gently into the air and floated over to the unicorn. It came to a hover directly over Twilight’s flat raised right hoof and remained there.

Princess Luna stepped closer, examining the glaive more closely. “This is some very expert craftsmanship. Even the enchantments protecting and making it more powerful meld seamlessly with it. Who forged it for you?”

“I forged it myself. I checked out as many books on weaponsmithing as I could find, and then let my magic do the rest. This was the result.”

Luna looked as though her impression of Twilight had skyrocketed. “Impressive indeed. We’ll see how well you use it later. For now, we should really continue back to the castle and return to your lessons.”

More than happy to oblige, Twilight breathed a slight word to Grace. The glaive left her hoof and meandered over to a specially designed harness, where it fit itself snugly. Smiling slightly, Twilight picked the harness up in a flare of magenta. Grace’s holster came to a rest on Twilight’s right side while straps wound themselves gently around her barrel, keeping the weapon and harness in place. Twilight then turned to follow her mentor, sidestepping saluting guardsponies as they went. Right back up to the castle the pair went, and it was not until they were past the front guards did Twilight realize they had not asked her to relinquish her weapon.

“Uh, Prin--Luna? Should I really be carrying a weapon inside the castle?”

Luna glanced back at her student for the briefest of moments. “As one of my apprentices, you will find that there are certain regulations that will no longer apply to you. Being armed while in my presence is one of them.”

“But… we’re not going to be attacked out of nowhere, are we? Is that why I’m allowed to carry Grace?”

Luna laughed warmly. “Of course we are not going to be attacked. But if we are, it would help if you were already prepared. And besides, remember that you’re going to use your weapon in some of the magical teachings.” Luna entered her study again and sat down at the desk once more, waiting for Twilight to get comfortable.

“It took me a great deal of time to decide what branch of magic to start you out with,” Luna began. “I know you want to master each of them, but we can still only do one at a time. However, I recalled something that occurred the other day: You seem to be nervous about Necromancy. And so, that is what we are going to start with today.”

Twilight almost felt herself deflate a little at those words. “Are you sure, princess? I mean… Necromancy should be reserved for unicorns with more practice with magic in general. I--I’m not sure I’m ready.”

“Trust me my faithful student, you are more than ready. I will still be here to guide you, and will help you if it actually turns out you require aid. But the sooner we get this out of the way, the sooner we can focus on other branches, branches that you don’t naturally fear.”

“Okay.” Twilight tried to stop her voice from shaking. “Where do we start?”

“You start by listening to me,” Luna responded with a twinkle in her eye. “Necromancy has the potential to be the most complex branch of magic you’ll ever explore. There are a few rules and regulations that need to be followed at all times, which you will quickly discover on your own. Since hardly anypony actually studies this type of magic, and those who do are not allowed to talk about it, Necromancy is naturally steeped in superstitions. I can assure you right now, all of those superstitions you have heard are wholly incorrect.”

Twilight went wide eyed at this. “But…?” She let the sentence trail off into a question.

“Anything you might have heard of Necromancy is likely to be wrong, Twilight Sparkle. When ponies do not understand something, they make up things. They create reasons, excuses as to why something is evil, or something is bad, because it is easier than simply not knowing at all.”

“I… guess that makes sense.” Twilight frowned dangerously. “But I don’t like making stuff up. I’d rather learn about something, instead of just taking guesses at it.”

“Very good, Twilight, and that is what makes you different from a great deal of my ponies. Now, Necromancy is very hooves on. There are no special incantations, like some of other branches of magic. There are only two majorly important things in Necromancy. The willpower of the summoner, and the soul of the summoned. Since you are just now taking your first steps into this magic, I’ll be the one summoning the soul, so that you can see how it is done.”

Despite herself, Twilight was curious. Right now it didn’t matter if it was Necromancy or not. She was learning, and that was all that was important. “What happens then?”

“Then we will find out if a Link will be formed, or not.”

“A Link?” Now Twilight was just plain confused. “What’s a Link?”

Luna only smiled mischievously. “You’ll find out soon enough, my most faithful student. Now, watch me.”

And watch Twilight did. Luna’s horn suddenly blazed to life, a sickly green tinged with black. As Twilight watched, Luna spoke some more. “This is rather easy for me. I’ve studied Necromancy for a long, long time, thus enabling me to summon any soul I wish, even the one I’m not Linked to. What you are about to see will probably startle you, but I implore you to not freak out.”

Twilight didn’t respond, transfixed by the display. Little motes of energy began falling from Luna’s horn, faster and faster. The princess’ face remained calm, collected. There was no visible strain on her face at all. Twilight marvelled at that fact. She had never seen anypony with so much control over their magic before. Quite soon, however, and Twilight was now preoccupied with something else. A dark mist began to form from thin air, taking on a vaguely pony shape. The mist began to solidify, and just was Twilight began to wonder at its purpose, the mist disappeared. In its place… Was Twilight’s doppelganger. Twilight fought back a panicked scream. Her pupils dilated and her breathing began to come faster. It was taking all of her concentration to not just flip out.

Despite her near hyperventilating state, Twilight’s mind was doing what it did best: analyzing. The clone of Twilight Sparkle before her was the same, yet completely different. She was lighter, for starters, several shades lighter than Twilight’s own coat and mane coloration. The lookalike also had overly bright eyes, almost shining like a lamp. The figure had started out almost insubstantial, like a ghost, but even as Twilight stared her twin seemed to further solidify, becoming more and more real every moment it stood there. But the thing that stood out the most was the fact that this clone of the original Twilight Sparkle had wings. They were perfectly serviceable, like any other pegasus--or Alicorn.

Princess Luna finally spoke. “Well met, Twilight Starshard. I’ve not seen you in a long time.”

The twin turned, her face lighting up in an easy grin. “Princess Luna! I thought that was you summoning me!”

“Indeed. I am teaching my newest apprentice the art of Necromancy.” The new Twilight turned to glance back at the old one. For the briefest of moments, something flitted across her face. It was like a look of longing. The same look Twilight had thought she saw in Luna’s eyes as she entered the study. In the next instant however, Starshard was grinning again, eyes alight with wonder.

“So this is the one meant to be Linked to me! I wondered when somepony would show up. Twilight Starshard, at your service.”

“Um… Twilight Sparkle. Pleased to meet you.” Then, unable to help herself, a veritable flood of questions came pouring from her mouth. “Who exactly are you? Why do you look like me? Why do you have wings?”

Starshard and Luna shared a glance. There was amusement there, but also… slight hesitation? The unicorn wasn't sure. Reading other ponies was not her strong suit.

“Firstly, I’m Twilight Starshard. As to who I actually am… I guess you could call me a physical representation of you, Sparkle.”

“A physical representation of me?”

“Yes. The study of life and death is full of intricacies, and even the most learned Necromancers don’t always pretend to know all of its secrets. Basically… I’m an Alicorn who died about a thousand years ago. When Princess Luna summoned me with the intent of Linking me to you, my appearance altered to match your physical makeup.”

“So then,” Twilight’s voice became very soft. “You’re dead?”

Starshard’s shoulders slumped a bit. “I am. I have been for a great many years, now.”

“But… you’re standing right there. You look so real!”

That got a warm chuckle from Starshard. “That is because I am real. There is one part of the circle of life that is constant: Decision. When a pony dies, he or she has three choices: Rebirth, Revive, Restore. Some call them the three ‘R’s. Rebirth is a pony who does just that: The are Reborn into some form of undead. This choice is normally taken by ponies who still have unfinished business among the living, but can't return to a physical body to finish it. Ponies who choose to Revive are reborn into the world of the living from another womb. And ponies who choose Restore cross to the other side, to paradise. I am a pony who chose Rebirth. I came back to life as a Lich Queen, and even though my business within the living world has long been completed, once I became undead, there was no turning back.”

Twilight’s mind was practically running at a thousand miles a minute. She absorbed just enough information to respond: “I’m sorry that you are stuck where you are.”

Starshard shrugged. “I don’t mind it. I can still help out in the world of the living.”

Twilight already had another question. “What’s a Lich Queen?”

“A Lich Queen is an undead who controls other undead. Namely, zombies and skeletons. Those guys aren’t usually very smart, so Lich Queens (or Kings) guide them and direct them.”

“You mean… some ponies are Rebirthed as a zombie? That sounds awful.”

Starshard shook her head. “Sentient creatures rarely Rebirth into something so unpleasant. You see, those types of creatures are the result of a Necromancer breaking the number one rule of this branch of magic. There are two rules a Necromancer must always follow. The first, is that you must never, ever, force an undead being to follow your will. You ask us, and it will be up to the individual undead to decide whether or not to help you in your endeavors. If you try to bend us to your will, not only will we ignore the directive, the Necromancer will degrade into the living dead; what you just called a zombie. If a Necromancer cannot follow this rule, then they do not need to be seeking the aid of unliving. Thousands of years ago, Necromancers made this mistake in droves. They were cocky, overconfident, thinking that all of their vaunted power could not be beaten. They paid the price. But these days, there aren’t so many. I’m sure Princess Luna has something to do with that.”

Luna nodded. “Indeed I do. Even the staunchest of ponies can give in to the lure of power, so I try to keep them away from such a fate as much as I can.”

Twilight’s eyes were the size of dinner plates. She had never expected something this momentous “What’s the second rule of Necromancy?”

“The Link. When its been formed, it cannot be broken for any reason. If a Necromancer ties to remove the Link, the sharing of souls, then they’ll enter the Void. They’ll just cease to exist. No paradise, no Rebirth, no second or third life. Just… gone.”

Twilight snorted softly. “But what exactly is this Link you both are talking about? You’ve mentioned it countless times now.”

“The Link is a bond shared between the Necromancer and a Soul. When a Necromacner first begins to summon, the first soul he or she summons will be one closest to their genetic makeup. Once that summoning is complete, the undead summoned and the Necromancer will have a choice: They can either form a Link, or they can continue their separate ways and the Necromancer will never try that magic again.”

“What does it do? Is it just for cosmetic purposes, or what?”

Starshard was already shaking her head before the words even left Twilight’s mouth. “I cannot tell you, Twilight.”

“What do you mean, you can’t tell me?”

“Until you make the decision for yourself, I can’t tell you. I’m not really allowed to. But now that we are at this proverbial crossroads, I must ask, Friherrinna Twilena Star Sparkle av Twinkle: Do you wish to complete the Link? Do you wish to take the very first step in your training as a Necromancer of the Crown?”

Twilight was conflicted. On one hoof, this was everything she had feared about the subject laid bare before her. All of the superstitions she had heard were wrong. There was really nothing to be afraid of. But, now an undead Lich Queen was asking her to practically share her soul, if Twilight was hearing that correctly. Her life would never be the same if she accepted. Eventually, however, Twilight’s thirst for knowledge easily overpowered her fears of the unknown.

“I’ll accept,” she said proudly, struggling to keep her voice in check.

Starshard, in turn, grinned slightly, like she knew Twilight was going to make this decision sooner or later. Rather than responding to the unicorn’s announcement, Starshard moved closer to Twilight. The suddenly nervous apprentice eyed the Lich Queen warily, but stood her ground. Whatever was going to happen next, Twilight was going to accept it proudly. Starshard stepped even closer, and the finally brought the length of her long, slender horn to Twilight’s smaller and stubbier one. The effect was immediate. Both let out loud gasps as a strange, unknown energy coursed through their bodies like an electric current. The power grew, and grew, swirling around the pair as they stood there, horns locked. Just as Twilight thought she would burst, the alien power suddenly changed direction--and flowed directly into Grace.

Twilight nearly collapsed as the energy left her, Starshard supporting her gently. They were both panting like they had just ran a marathon. A distant part of Twilight’s mind noted that Starshard was rather warm, instead of the cold feeling she would have expected from an undead. As Twilight recovered, she felt an odd vibrating at her side. It was her glaive. The weapon slide out of its sheath and hovered right before Twilight’s eyes, turning so that its owner could see the odd rune in the middle of the staff that had not been there previously.

Still partially staring at the rune in wonderment, Twilight turned to Luna, silently asking for an explanation.

“Its a Necromancer Rune, Twilight. Its designed to enhance your spellcasting abilities with this branch of magic. Its why I had you obtain your weapon.”

“So… that’s it? I’m a Necromancer now?”

Well, yes and no.

“Gah!” Twilight yelped as she heard a familiar voice echoing around her mind. Luna was grinning. “What was that? Some form of telepathy?”

Starshard answered her. “In a nutshell, yes. Its a part of the Link. Our minds are connected, allowing us to speak no matter how far apart we are. We also have a shared aether pool. Haven’t you felt it yet?”

Now that Starshard mentioned it, Twilight did feel… Stronger. More alive. She could feel the power coursing just below her horn, ready to be unleashed. A small smile began to play across her lips. “So in other words, I’m more magically powerful?”

“You are,” Luna replied. “But, I’m afraid your studies in Necromancy are far from over, my faithful student. You have a Link now, that is true. But there is still a great deal to learn. Summoning and controlling lesser undead and a whole host of other things. For now, however, we may call it quits. It is far past lunchtime, and I’m sure you’d like to grab a bite to eat before continuing.”

Now that Luna mentioned it, Twilight was feeling hungry. Ravenous, even. But there was something still bothering her. “What about you, Starshard? I mean, I know you’re here now, but what's going to happen from here?”

Starshard chuckled. “Well, now that I’m Summoned and Linked, I’ll stay in the world of the living for as long as I want, until my Summoner sends me back for whatever reason. Right now, however, I would like the opportunity to catch up to Luna.” Twilight nodded almost absently, her curiosity sated at the moment. With a small wave of her hoof, the lavender unicorn departed.

Starshard waited until the door was closed and she could no longer hear Twilight’s hoofsteps before turning to Princess Luna. “Do you think she suspects anything? Or knows?”

Luna was already shaking her head. “No. She’s still in the dark. But she won’t be for long. Twilight is incredibly smart and resourceful. I’ve never met another pony with her drive for knowledge. She even surpasses the last Valkyrie in that regard. She’ll figure out the truth eventually. And by then, I hope that we will have prepared her as best we can.”

Starshard sighed. “I sure do hope so. I almost couldn’t keep my expression clear when I first saw her. I’ve missed her for a very long time.”

Luna echoed Starshard’s sigh. “I know, Starshard. I have too.”

Chapter 6