Myths and Consequences

"Tia, we believe we, as you'd say, have figured it out."

The elder Alicorn tilted her head in confusion, as did a lavender unicorn.

"Figured what out, little sister?"

"Why it is that the citizens of this land have chosen to focus upon one magic or weapons, but not both."

"Oh do tell," replied Twilight with no enthusiasm whatsoever for whatever scathing commentary the lunar alicorn may present on her kind.

"Tis simple, for one, a weapon like magic takes many years of practice to hone ones skill. Tempering ones mind for combat between blades is akin to doing so between spell casters. It is a matter of conditioning, for one such as yourself Twilight, you are conditioned to react with magic, and if you were to be trained in the art of melee combat along with magical, the chances of hesitation rise to near lethal percentage." As Luna spoke, the knives she had collected flew around her, swiping at the air in a fanciful if not rather macabre dance of death and steel. Ever since they had left the hut and began their trek, both princesses have been working at their respective weapons, testing their weight along with their own skills. Even when at rest near a lake or in a field, they continued to swing, thrust, and stab at the air. Twilight felt she had learned much about weapons through observation than in any other life...if such existed.

"So to keep things simple," Luna continued, "Star Swirl chose to focus your mind upon magical finesse, honestly its all he's ever known himself."

"And the other?" asked Twilight.

"Learning curve of course. The life expectancy of thy people are likened to that of a candle whose wick was cut too short. Thus you've only the time to learn one skill or another."

"I think I liked your other reason better." Twilight fumed as she continued along their current course.

Celestia merely chortled as she sheathed the sword, her wing fanning out to give her younger sister a playful shove.

In no time at all, such needling against Twilight's kind and position quickly became an acceptance that the unicorn learned to take in stride. It seemed to be their habit to be critical of everything in the world, and herself, especially herself in particular. A week in their company and she learned that the only fear she would take hold upon, is if Celestia's doting or Luna's complaining would suddenly cease.

Being honest with herself, Twilight found that tutelage under both alicorns was rather pleasing, as progress with her magic seemed to grow exponentially. Her most important lesson learned so far, was the ability to draw magical energy from the world rather than from herself. As they explained it, this energy was a tangible force, like water being drawn up one set of legs into her mind, whilst exhausted energy traveled down the other set. Already she felt she could recharge herself even after a hard day's walking. Merely taking a moment to pause, she'd stand there, eyes close drawing and releasing energy.

"Must you constantly pause in our trek?" Of course Luna would always complain, finding the unicorns progress lacking. "One should be able to draw energy and release it whilst on the move."

Twilight merely gave a curt smile and nod, not caring as her own opinions of herself were of high praise for having learned so much in so little time. No moon princess would dampen her enthusiasm.

"Twilight, would you kindly fetch me a piece of wood?"

With that smile still upon her face, Twilight's horn glowed, its purple aura reaching out to grasp a piece of deadwood. It hovered between her and Celestia, invisible fingers of power holding it almost lazily in its grasp.

"Not bad dear student." With a flash the sword flew out from its sheath, its blunt edge smoothly sailing through every fiber. With a clutter clunk, two pieces of wood at upon the ground. Twilight her mane frazzled, heart pounding, and the last dying remnants of a squeal of terror, could only stare at the lasting image of what was a mere inch between her face and lethal steel.

"This sword may have hope yet!" Celestia peered at Twilight. "You allowed it to fall."

The last was directed at Twilight.

"You...you startled me." She answered in reply as she slowly gained back her composure.

Suddenly with a flick of Celestia's horn, the stick flew out and bounced painfully off Twilight's shoulder as she yelped and tried to duck away.

"What was that for?"

"Call it an object lesson. You know you can control it, you've already done so, proven so. Why do you cower away when you can merely stop it? Is it not what your magic is for?"

"I wasn't ready! You threw it at me before I even had a chance!"

Celestia brought both fore hooves to her her mouth, a look of apologetic hurt upon her face.

"Oh, oh I am truly sorry." She waved a hoof towards Twilight. "Please take a moment, build up your thoughts, I did not mean to enforce this lesson upon you without allowing you the insight to my plans!"

Taking a deep breathe, Twilight smiled along with Celestia. The white alicorn, the princess of the sun, so kind and polite. Aside form the previous tantrum a few days back, she has proven to almost be motherly, doting upon the rest of the party. Twilight found she truly liked her.

The stack slammed into her face, the world twisting around as she felt her body follow through with the force of the throw, spinning in the air before allowing the unicorn to land with the little grace upon her head.

Oh how she hated her.

"And we shall let that be a valuable lesson on the difference between the classroom and field. The classroom may give you the exercise, but the field will never be so kind as to allow you the first strike. As Luna has stated, the luxury of gathering necessary energy will never be there, and seldom will you confront a stationary target."

"Is it necessary to undermine my self confidence at every turn?" sniffled Twilight, rubbing her noes. "Every time I feel as though I'm getting someplace, one of you cuts my legs out from under me."

Celestia sheathed the sword, extending her wing out to pull Twilight closer, a handkerchief appearing from no where began to wipe the dirt away from her face.

"Twilight, would you rather it be figurative, or literal?" The dirtied piece of cloth vanished. "Self confidence can be a wonderful thing, but not if it isn't justified. Someday, all of us will be staking our lives upon your capabilities, and it will do us no good if you've been fooling yourself into a false sense of ability."

"Twilight, if we chose to pamper like a foaling, it would be a disservice to you as a student, as it would be to my sister and I." Luna sat beside her. "Would thou rather us not prepare thee for the worst, to lead thee into notions of security and preparedness?"

"No." Was the glum response, the unicorn frowning now. "I wouldn't want that to happen at all."

"Then let us get to work!" Luna nodded, a simple tug of her magic dropping a few apples before them from a nearby tree.

"But, do we have time? The changeling assassins!"

"Worry not, changelings or otherwise, they are a tenacious lot, but slow to travel, wanting to make certain of their quarry." Assured Luna.

To reflect upon it, Twilight knew that their strategy upon leaving the hut was to trace the ley lines, magical, mystical beams of energy that wrapped around the world, sometimes rare like an oasis in a desert, other times haphazardly, like a wrapped ball of twine. The idea would be to follow the lines of energy to the strongest point in order to confront Discord. Like a river, energy flowed in noticeable directions, and a junction of such force would prove a place of power.

Having never realized it till now. Star Swirls hut was under the paths of three crossing ley lines, though small, it coalesced into a central pool of energy, enough for a magician and his apprentice to utilize in daily lessons.

At first it proved difficult, Twilight having only heard of this lines of power when Celestia and Luna discussed them rapidly back in the hut. Like finding a magical item though, it was a simple lesson to learn, which was fortunate with all the other lessons that were quickly piling up upon the young protege.

By simply closing one's eyes and relaxing, imagine a double pointed spear in glowing blues and greens suspended in the air. The more intense the glow, the nearer a ley line is, the direction of the point signified the direction of magical flow. Like a needle upon a compass.

Once they had established the ley lines position over Star Swirls hut, the next question was which way to go. If assassins were upon this very trail, choosing the wrong path would surely lead to disaster for the unprepared.

Thus they choose to follow one of the paths at a distance, traveling perpendicular to it but never on it. Two days later they were parallel to the line of their chosen destination before finally deciding to traveling upon the line itself. The hope was to bypass the assassins altogether.

It worked, and it didn't.

It worked in that they trio had not walked into an ambush. It didn't work in that it now seemed as though they were now being followed. The very slight fluctuations upon the ley line said so, very weak, it caused the slightest of a tremor along its lines, but Luna was not fooled, and with a quick discussion over the planets passage of time, stated that at least a week if not more separated them from their hunters.

"Tis a good thing." Said Luna, "It would mean that we have chosen wisely."

"But how long do we have, what if we chose wrong! We could be going the wrong way!" Twilight babbled.

"How long dost thou think it shall take to battle a pack of assassins and confront Discord with us?"

"Work sounds wonderful!" Twilight said firmly through a forced smile, "I'm ready and rearing to go!"

Gesturing at the apples, Luna began laying out her instructions.

"Focus upon the sky, think thoughts of, oh we don't know, why belly buttons have lint, or something. Then when ordered, toss an apple at us."

Twilight felt as though hours had passed them by, the drill proving most difficult. Luna would change tactics along with Celestia, each chiming in with conversation to throw her of guard, leading her on before suddenly giving the command for an apple. Quickly she learned that the art of merely just drawing energy in and letting it out, was an extremely tiring task. Needless to say, she failed miserably.

"Twilight, your ability is commendable, but lacking. You've shone ability to muster thine energy from the land around you, but your ability to be consistent is what harms you." Luna casually cantered to Twilight, placing the tip of her wing upon the unicorns chest. "It is now time for thy next lesson. Imagine a pocket within thee, like a wardrobe or even a cellar for wine, yet instead of such wondrous and delicious contents, fill it, fill it with all the contents provided to thee. We expect that thou shalt hold this pocket in reserve and keep it satisfied even when one is in slumber."

Steeling her resolve and pulling in the energy around her. Twilight formed as large a pocket within her as she could muster. Giggling lightly as she voiced her thoughts of its warmth at the approval of both alicorns. Then quickly she pursued her exercise again, finding it easier to hold a conversation whilst firing off another apple into the air for the two princesses to practice their aim upon. As an added touch of finesse, Twilight would extract the blade, returning them to whomever had thrown it. The art of holding energy within her very being proved fruitful as fatigue seemed to never touch upon her as it did before.

It was Celestia's turn now, her blade whirling through the air like an artists brush, painting a silvery trail of light before plunging into the apples. Sometimes magic was used, other times she did this with her hooves, over-hoof and under-hoofed, front hooves and back even. Twilight of course was enjoying one of the sliced apples, lazily chewing away as time carried on.

"Stop it. Twilight!"

Luna exploded loudly, voice shaking the earth and Twilight as one of her own knives flew through the air with deadly resolve. Without thinking, as though a new instinct had formed in her mind, Twilight reached out mentally and...the knife stopped in midair! She blinked, its blade still sitting before her, unmarred by her blood, spinning and whistling in the afternoon air next to the apple that she was currently eating, it too held aloft by her magic.

"Huzzah! That is what we are talking about! Now that, is what one may have confidence in! A master mage ye shall be yet!" boomed Luna.

Celestia clapped her hooves in applause, gracing Twilight with that motherly smile of pride at her students growing abilities.

"I did it!" Twilight whooped, almost disbelieving her own eyes.

"Indeed you did, that is the magic we speak of that will save your life one day!" said Celestia.

Out of habit, Twilight returned the knife to Luna. Quickly plucking it from the air, the lunar princess tucked it away, then halted, her ears twitching.

"Not a moment too late, I hear a presence coming to us." She gestured ahead of them.

"How can you tell?" Asked Twilight.

"Alicorn ears. Tis not the hunters, tis but a single being, cantering towards us. No wild animal moves in straight line, nor with such laziness, truly it must be one of thy people."

"Aren't we going to hide? What do you mean not a moment too late?"

"No need to stealth away." Luna grinned. "You have developed quickly, and we feel such development requires a reward. We've a few days before their arrival. Time enough for a new spell!"

"Days?"

Luna frowned. "Do tell us your time table again."

"Er...seconds, minutes, hours..."

"Minutes! We've a few minutes!"

"Minutes! I can't learn a spell in a matter of minutes!"

"Oh do have faith in yourself Twilight, if I know Luna, she seems ready to grace you with a true piece of art." said Celestia.

"How..."

"Silence and listen!" Luna interrupted. "Eyes closed, mind focused. Now picture a face."

Sadly for Twilight, Star Swirl was the most well known face aside form her parents, thus it became the center of her thoughts.

"Now imagine ours, and our bodies, merging and molding, like working with clay. Hold it and then open thine eyes!"

Twilight grumbled when she did.

"It didn't work."

"Oh it did, and well too."

"Hmm a bit of Star Swirl eh? A bit morbid but it shall do." said Celestia.

"But you haven't changed!"

"Of course we have, as thou are the caster, thou shalt not see thy fruits of thy labor!" Luna grinned, "Its a matter of the mind knowing truth. Thou hast formed the lie, hence only the truth is known to thee. Thou mind is not fooled by thy own tricks."

"You...you can really see Star Swirls face?"

Luna presented a mirror to Twilight, who fumed. One of the first things she had learned was that her normal site could not see the reflections of either alicorn. The jest sailed over her rather quickly.

"Oh do believe us. We have faith in thee, do have faith in thyself."

The two supposedly disguised alicorns stepped out to greet a figure whom had now crested a hill near the rows of apple trees. A wide brimmed hat adorned her head along with a rather wicked blade slung across her back. Hardened leather covered obvious bits of chain mail which seemed to rest upon powerfully thick muscles. Blonde mane accentuated her orange coat.

"Salutations and good day!" hollered Celestia in a voice not of her own.

"Tis a wondrous walk through the orchard is it not?"

The mare in question rose her head up, a hoof rising in greeting, when suddenly it stopped. She seemed to lean forward slightly, green eyes squinting, then drew back in terror. "Consarnit! I ain't having none of your filthy demon kind on ma property!"

Two alicorns turned to look at Twilight.

Twilight merely shrugged.