29 Hearts, Ace of Spades

Face Down on the Table

Sunset didn’t think she’d been more eager for anything else in life. Even the letter, even the chariot and train rides here… none of them could really compare to the jittery excitement she felt with her books stacked in front of her and the silence of a uncertain class waiting for its professor. Her hoof was tapping incessantly under the desk, and for the fifth time in as many minutes, Lyra whacked it with her own hind hoof. “Cut it out will ya?” she whispered to Sunset. “You’re actin’ like your high on somethin’.”

“But we are all high on excitement!” Arty hissed with a deep breath. “Just think of everything we’re going to get to be doin-!” She meeped a little as the door swung open and slammed shut just as quickly, most everypony joining her in jumping in place. Corrugan strode down the lane of desks, an iron look on his face that didn’t seem quite right on him. But even if they weren’t all seeing what Sunset saw, she wasn’t alone with her head following his every step. He rearranged some things on his podium, with his hooves instead of magic, before turning to the class and fixing them with an iron gaze. Sunset tried to hold it, but his eyes never drifted directly to hers before his eyes softened and a chuckling sigh escaped his lips.

“We are here to learn the art given to us as unicorns,” he said. “But as much as it is my responsibility to teach and educate you in the many facets of magic, it is also my personal belief that I keep you from becoming like the pony you just saw. For you see, magic can accomplish great good or evil and work wonders on the world, but so often we ignore what happens in here.” He tapped at the base of his horn, and a panicked revelation forced Sunset’s eyes wide and her hooves and magic to scrambling through her supplies. He was beginning the lecture without telling anypony and her note taking paper hadn’t been ready! She rapidly cleared a space, shoving some of her quills to Lyra’s desk to the humph of the filly and giggle of Arty and began scratching away with as much as she could remember.

There was more than a significant pause in Corrugan’s words, and Sunset suspected he was waiting for her. And true to assumption, when she had finally stopped scribbling (the scrawl really wasn’t worthy to be called anything more legible) he began again. “You know,” he gestured to the class, walking off the stage, “if I don’t correct one of your classmates taking notes, don’t you think it might be that she’s onto something? Hm?” Silence reigned until most everypony was shuffling around their things, even if Lyra groaned into her books. “Yes? And your name, I need to learn them,” Corrugan addressed somepony, and Sunset craned around to see one of the colts raising his hoof, but still without the proper note-taking materials. She tsked under her breath.

“Sir, if you don’t mind me asking… what exactly are we supposed to be taking notes on?” he said.

“Huh, good question,” Corrugan spoke above the volume of shuffling parchment, returning to the stage. “See, your question really does embody what I’m talking about. We unicorns so often see magic as something we can just do. Something innate to ourselves. And we forget that as much as it is one of our natural bodily functions, so too does it have it’s consequences on the part it is linked to. There are techniques and spells you will learn here that if properly utilized have the ability to bring entire kingdoms to ruin. You will learn how to set traps, disarm them, cast spells without being seen or otherwise detected, save life itself… All of these things and more have a profound effect on our minds, especially those of us in this room. These things are not beyond our reach…”

Sunset actually stopped writing, choosing, for the moment to just listen and transcribe later. There was a strange feeling in the air. She felt that despite her every instinct telling to grab the quill and record the words, these were things she would hear again. Things that would repeat themselves and remind her, time and again, in a way. Just to be aware of them, for the moment, was the important part.

“And as such, the power and our own capabilities will more easily warp our minds into something more hideous than something from Tartarus than any other race to walk our world,” Corrugan continued. “So as we go through the things reserved for you, the next generation of skilled mages, it is both my and your responsibility to watch over yourself and those around you. We keep ourselves and our kind in check when nopony else can. Good?”

Collective nods circulated around the class, and Sunset nodded a bit longer for herself, jotting down a few words to remember that capture the essence of what Corrugan was imparting to them. She rolled her eyes in amusement and slid her paper closer to Lyra when she leaned in close trying to read Sunset’s notes.

“So, now that you all are reasonably eager and filled with anticipation, I’m going to take it all back now,” Corrugan said flatly. “The practice of magic is the embodiment of the term controlled chaos, and I have rules for this room that will keep things in order. Now all of you, groan, like I know you want to.” He swept out a hoof at the lot of them, and most everypony complied with the most insincere groan Sunset had ever heard. Though she did suppose the effect was compounded when some of her classmates giggled over groaning.

“Ah, it’ll do,” Corrugan carried on. “Anyhow, yes, my rules. They are few and simple. Firstly, your homework, as it is, will be done outside this classroom. Let me repeat. Homework is done outside the classroom. It’s mostly practical application of what you’ve learned, which means you’ll need to use the devices in the courtyard anyhow… just don’t do it here. The last thing I need is being jarred out of meditation because one of you weren’t accounting for a spell’s required area. Huh… Second, if I tell you not to try something, it’s because it will kill you if you do. No exceptions. And lastly, if you have any questions… this isn’t so much a rule as it is a suggestion, but find and ask me first. Some of the other teachers here might be offended if you ask about some things whereas I won’t. But again, just a suggestion. That’s all for that. If I happen to make up a rule because I slept wrong of something, just roll with it. I’ll be good after lunch.” He smiled and collective chuckles went around the class.

Sunset only sighed. She’d been mildly hopeful they’d actually begin lessons without any delay, but it didn’t look as though that would be the case after all. There would probably be a week or so of introductions and such before they moved on to real studies. Pearls of wisdom from her teacher aside, he wasn’t likely to start off every day in such a manner. Ah well, at least she’d gotten to touch and play with real, genuine analysis cubes today. That was a treat she had not been expecting. The little gadgets individually were astronomically expensive. And a full set like what the school had… she didn’t even want to think about the cost. The princess herself may have gone to the trouble of building them herself to avoid the bits it would drain to commission their construction. She sighed a little dreamily, imagining hauling them around examine everything she could get her hooves on.

But she was snapped from her reverie when Lyra vigorously shook her and motioned to the stage. “So, for official introductions, I am Corrugan, your instructor until you graduate here, and a former student to our fair Princess of the Sun. Take that for what you will.” And Sunset did. She found herself sitting a little straighter and watching his every movement more closely. Perhaps this was why the princess had placed her in his class. Now, even when she wasn’t receiving instruction from Princess Celestia, she had somepony to emulate. She was certainly eyeing his bearing a little more closely now at any rate.

“What was it like being her personal student?” some filly behind her asked.

“It takes a special kind of pony that I was not at that age to be the student to Princess Celestia,” Corrugan replied. “I learned a lot, true, but only what I wanted to learn as a sixteen year old colt. And that hurt me in the long run. How’s this? You all make it through, and I’ll show you all something I earned as a result. Deal?”

“Deal,” the filly replied. “Oh, and I’m Trixie by the way. Trixie Lulamoon.”

“Noted, Trixie,” Corrugan said. “Okay, if everypony is good on the rules, let’s get started.” To which Sunset only was able to mouth ‘no way’. And when nopony raised their hoof or offered any objection, Corrugan stamped the stage in approval. “Good times. Okay! So, let’s start with basics. For you as mages to cast or generate spells of any larger size, complexity, or with multiple and simultaneous stages, you will need to understand Domans, Flows, and Arcs. Some of you may have heard these terms before, and some of you may even have an idea of what they are, but for the larger majority, these are terms you will only here in this school and in much higher level casting discussions and debates. Nevertheless, it is necessary that you understand them so that you do not misuse them.

“So for starters, Domains contain all of the magical energy in the universe. All. No exceptions of any kind. And there are five general Domains mages have identified. Every spell you ever construct will will draw the majority of its energy from one of these five Domains.” He paused while everypony scratched away, and Sunset did a little dance in her seat. Oh, if Domains was the first topic, she could barely imagine the intensity of later topics, nevermind the things the princess would teach her, and hopefully Lyra.

“We’ll be talking about the specific Domains as the week goes on, and possibly into our second week, but for today, I want to stick with the essentials. A taste of the waters so to speak. Aight, so, the five Domains are composed of two different entities we call Flows and Arcs. And it is one of these two entities within the Domain you draw upon that the power for your spell truly originates. And breaking it down even further, until you’ve taken time to meditate and understand the difference between Arcs and Flows, you will all tend toward drawing on the Arcs. A more skilled mage would use Flows for the greater purity, but we’ll get there in a moment.

“Right now, we’ve established the most base magical components. To safely use our magic with that specific knowledge guiding it, we need to understand the universal laws these components abide by. And really, it’s only one rule, but ah, whatever. We theorists enjoy sounding smarter than we are most of the time. Anyhow, the singular rule of Domains, Flows, and Arcs is that Domains and their components cannot come into contact, either naturally or unnaturally, with other Domains and their components. Underline that or something. There are ponies who became famous simply for how badly ignoring that rule destroyed them.”

“What do you mean when you say they got destroyed, sir?” somepony asked, and Sunset breathed out a silent intake of breath. She was writing frantically, unexpectedly being thrown far more information at far greater a pace than she’d thought possible in a schoolroom. She knew about Domains for sure, but all this was so much more in depth than anything she’d found even in books. Somepony interrupting the lecture with a question was a gift from the princess herself, as it gave Sunset time to catch up. When she finally had, a frustrated scowl darkened her brow as she looked to both Arty and Lyra’s notes only to see the the three categories written down with most basic of definitions.

“It means nature corrected them. Harshly,” Corrugan answered him darkly. “Ask me again when you’ve been here longer, yeah? And just in general for you all, call me Corrugan. I’m your teacher, not your overlord. Now, moving… Oh wait… Any more questions before we move on? I’m about to draw up some diagrams, so get your questions out now.” He waited a while, but when nopony raised her hoof, he shrugged and attended to the board behind him.

* * *

“This has got to be the easiest homework assignment… evarrrr…” Lyra drawled out behind Sunset, her legs all tucked beneath her with her reading assignment flipped open on the courtyard cobbles. A pause. “And yo, I think Arty agrees with me. Right Arty?”

“It’s soooooo boring!” the filly whined, and Sunset couldn’t help but swivel her head to see Arty sprawled on her back, her book suspended in levitation magic over her face. Sunset only rolled her eyes and returned to her analysis of the Phase Rings. She hadn’t gotten to examine them early that day, and since their sole purpose was to show the flow of Domains within their area effect, Sunset felt learning how they were operated wasn’t a waste of her time.

“But I do gotta give it to ya, Sunset,” Lyra idly commented. “Comin’ out here right after class was a pretty good idea. Wonder how long it’ll be till somepony else shows up.”

“Give them about an hour, I’d say,” Sunset said, running her hoof over the runes in the surface of the stones. “It takes about that long to write a letter home or something like,” she continued, looking up to Lyra as she fiddled around in her saddlebags for the rune dictionary. “And you two don’t have to stay if you’d rather not. I probably won’t be back in the room until… late.” She sighed. “I’ve already done my reading and the next two lessons ahead, so… yeah…”

“Damn,” Lyra blinked. “Ya know, I didn’t bring it up before to be polite an’ all, but since you kinda just brought it up…”

“Yes?” Sunset inserted with a touch of impatience, already suspecting the question that was coming next. Not from the pony who asked it though.

“When did you meet the princess, Sunset?” Arty asked for Lyra, earning her a scowl from the teal filly.

“Never,” Sunset said simply, beginning to circle around the Phase Ring and scribble the runes into her notebook. “I don’t know why I’m her personal student. I mean, honestly, I’ve not even met her personally since we got here. I really thought it would be made a big fuss, and I’d be ferreted away before the classes were decided.”

“But ya got some talent, obviously,” Lyra pointed out, not even pretending to read her textbook anymore and watching Sunset with a curious look. “You read the books fast enough.”

“That doesn’t make me a talented magician,” Sunset countered before plopping down with a frustrated growl. “I can’t concentrate on the runes,” she mumbled. “I just… how could the princess know I should be her student just based on my reports? What if I’m just decent as an essayist?”

“Woah, woah, slow up,” Arty waved her hoof at Sunset, she too having discarded her book in favor of sitting up and talking. “Don’t tell me you don’t want to be the princess’s student! It’s the chance of a lifetime!” Her enthusiasm was enough to light a little smile on Sunset’s face, even if her dreamy, fantasizing eyes were a touch much.

“I know that,” Sunset managed to say. “But when I got that letter, I thought it had to mean I was a better magician than everypony else on the train. And when I get here, there’s not a spell I’ve known that somepony else hasn’t used. I’m no more skilled than anypony else.”

“Ha! Correction,” Lyra jabbed a hoof and raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re a way better magician than I am. I confess, I am bucking stupid as a rock. Momma was shocked when I got the letter.”

“You are not stupid Lyra,” Arty defended her from… herself. “You know how to build those proxy things after all.”

“Chill it with that,” Lyra hissed before returning to a normal tone. “You know what you’re doin’, Sunset. I just kinda point and shoot and hope my horn knows what the buck I want it to do.”

She nodded and breathed out long and hard, saying, “I suppose. I thought I’d settle in well this morning, but something happened and now I feel so pent up for some reason.” Both Arty and Lyra turned to each other with knowing, amused looks before staring back at Sunset even more so. “What?” she asked.

“I can’t believe she can’t even diagnose herself, Lyra,” Arty said conspiratorially.

“Sunset. You. Are. Such. A. Nerd!” Lyra burst out laughing. “Come on! It’s no wonder you’re the princess’s student if you feel pent up after that long ass lecture, reading three times as much we were supposed to, and fiddling around with that thingermajig! You’re a bucking nerd you!” She rolled onto her back in laughter, and Sunset was unsure whether to be offended or complimented. She ended up eyeing the giggling Lyra stiffly until Arty came up beside her and wrapped a hoof around her neck.

And in the most prim and proper voice said, “Sunset, Lyra is a little rough around the edges. Let me be a little more refined about this. You are… flubbers…”

“She’s a nerd!” Lyra burst out again. “I mean, come on! In a good kinda way, but still!”

“Alright, Lyra’s just trying to say that you are very smart, and that the princess must have chosen you not because you are any better a magician, but because you’ll become skilled faster than the rest of us,” Arty continued, still remaining comedically uptight.

“Sunset, you gotta chill,” Lyra said, regaining her composure but remaining rather inappropriately splayed on the ground. “Ya trust the princess, right?”

“Of course!” Sunset said.

“Then trust she’ll take care of all of us,” Lyra replied with a nod. “I sure as hell gotta.”

“Why don’t we got back up to your two’s room for now then?” Arty suggested. “We’ve all already done our homework -”

“Even if I don’t understand much of it!” Lyra interrupted, falsely cheery.

“ - and play some cards or something,” she concluded, not even bothering to fix Lyra with a withering stare.

“I could use the relax - What in Tartarus!?” Lyra began, only to break into a yell that was punctuated by Arty’s genuine scream of terror. Sunset only sank into a defensive stance, trying to keep her brain from freezing on defensive spells. The entire courtyard’s assortment of gadgets and relics had all flashed a cacophony of lights, sounds, and colors - spewing magical auras as they all came to life seemingly of their own accord. Sunset’s eyes darted around, both she and Lyra edging toward each other. But all their apprehension was for naught, transforming into breath taking awe.

Princess Celestia herself was striding out into the courtyard, coat and mane faintly aglow of their own accord as the magic engulfing her horn slowly sank the sun behind the mountains to cast the light of sunset across the world. It was like elegance, grace, and soft strength had all come together and taken physical form. “She’s… beautiful,” Arty whispered from between Sunset and Lyra.

“Agreed,” Sunset replied in as much a hushed tone while Lyra only nodded slightly.

But rather than simply continue out through the courtyard to some unknown destination, it seemed the courtyard was her destination. The golden magic slowly faded from her horn and her violet eyes drifted around the mostly empty but quite magically lively courtyard until they settled on Sunset. It was almost like she was looking into Sunset’s soul, even from the distance, and the sensation actually bringing Sunset’s hoof to her chest. She strode toward the three of them, a gentle smile gradually lifting her lips as she came close enough to recognize Sunset’s friends. “Good evening, my little fillies,” she said, her voice like the down of angels’ wings. “Don’t look so frightened. These curious objects here are very sensitive to changes in magic in the area. My inner magic sends them into quite the fit.”

“Uh… hi?” Lyra proposed, her voice a little shaky.

“You must be Lyra Heartstrings,” the princess guessed. “I hear my student would like to have you sit in with her in some of our lessons.”

“Um… yeah, that’s me,” Lyra said, even more shakily than before.

“Don’t be so nervous,” Princess Celestia smiled cheerfully, ruffling her hoof in Lyra’s mane. “I’m not going to bite. And just so you know, I’d be happy to teach you. A unicorn with your skills needs to know what she’s doing after all.”

“Th - thank you,” Lyra gulped, and Sunset was beginning to feel the start of a giggle at watching her until the princess turned her attention to Sunset.

“And this must be the student whose first lesson with me is long overdue,” Celestia said. “Sunset Shimmer, yes?”

“Ahhhh…” Sunset tried to speak, but only her incoherent nerves seemed to answer before the princess gently shut her mouth with a little touch of her hoof. Sunset swallowed hard and tried to not concentrate on how hard her heart seemed to be slamming around in her chest. “Princess Celestia…” she shook out with a light bow. “I am the student you selected to learn under your own wing.” Ugh, that sounded awkward even in her head. Why had that been what came out of-

“Then shall we?” the princess interrupted her self degrading thoughts with the simple question. “I don’t want to keep you from time with your friends, but a short meeting should suffice for us to get to know each other a little better.”

“Oh! We don’t mind at all, Princess Celestia!” Arty burst out, clamping her hooves over her mouth in horror almost before she’d finished saying it.

“That’s very sweet of you Miss Arts,” Celestia smiled to her, “but I’m quite certain you’ll be happier having her around than not. I’ll keep it as short as I can. Sunset, shall we?” And the princess offered out one of her regal white wings, which Sunset walked beneath, shepherded along by the graceful feathers as they walked back within the school proper. Sunset did her best to control the shaking in her legs, trying to shove her nervousness into a corner of her mind that would distract her. She needed to be intelligible before the princess after all. And maybe it was true that her ease of understanding magic had been the reason for the princess selecting her, but the more she tried to keep from being so paralyzed, the more she wanted to be that pony she thought the princess had been looking for.

* * *

Sunset had honestly not thought Princess Celestia would have an office at the school, or that if she did, it would be protected by the Royal Guard whether she was present or not. She had not been expecting a little room on the ground floor that was only slightly bigger than their classroom to accommodate for Princess Celestia’s greater height. It was rather sparsely adorned, bookshelves being the prominent furniture as they coated the walls. There was a small table near the door with a glass container rested, filled with pearls. And the chandelier had been replaced by a glowing sundial that was clicking away despite being indoors.

Sunset’s steps slowed as she entered and the princess seemed to glide past to her. It was simple, but Sunset guessed it was only a place infrequently used by the princess and could forego the usual trappings of royalty. And besides, her desire to see what sort of books the princess kept for herself was almost shoving away her anxiety of being alone with her for the first time. “Go on,” Princess Celestia said with a suppressed giggle. “They’re there for you after all.”

Sunset nearly tripped over her own hooves, eager but still worried about making a fool of herself. Her head whipped to the princess, where she was situating herself behind the desk in the back of the office. She nodded to Sunset, and with that final barrier removed in her brain, Sunset nearly sprinted over to the nearest shelf, running her hoof along the spines, eyes flicking over titles and authors. And most of them were names she’d never heard tell of. “Anything you see there that you’d like to take back to your room to read?” Princess Celestia asked, and Sunset jumped a little.

“I - I don’t even know where I should start,” she said, feeling a bit uncomfortable at making eye contact with the princess just yet. “These have to priceless.”

“A lot of them are, but not all,” the princess replied. “I’m sure you’ve already had ponies compliment you on it already, but your voice is very beautiful.”

“I don’t - don’t like to draw attention to being from the Royal Isles,” Sunset said. “But thank you,” she added hastily to avoid coming across as rude.

“Don’t worry about it so much,” Princess Celestia soothed. “You are from there, and you can’t change that even with Starswirl’s genius. Be proud of it.” She paused while Sunset soaked in the words, but continued on a few moments later. “Come and sit for a little,” she said, motioning to the chairs in front of her desk. They were quite comfortable as Sunset situated herself in their cushions and tried not to think too hard about what sorts of things the princess might ask her. “So, Sunset Shimmer, I want you to be my personal student, to learn everything I can teach you. But it will be hurtful to both of us if you do not want to be my student. So before we carry on any farther, be truthful with me. Do you want me to teach you?”

The question was so absurd, Sunset found her voice dip a little as she burst out, “Well o’ co-orse I do!” She coughed and tried to forced down the heat she could feel rising in her cheeks. “Sorry,” she said, more quietly and controlled.

“It’s quite alright,” the princess only smiled, vaguely amused. “But I’m glad you’re so enthusiastic. Sunset Shimmer, my name is Celestia Aegis. Pleased to meet you.” And she extended a boot-less hoof out for Sunset to take. Sunset couldn’t breathe properly, feeling as though she could barely get enough air as she reached her own hoof out to gingerly tap it against the princess’ own. The full weight of greeting the pony most Equestrian citizens dreamed about just seeing in so commonplace pressed into her shoulders. It was almost too much. She let out a large sigh and began breathing a little more rapidly than normal, just trying to set her brain straight.

“Goodness!” Princess Celestia chuckled. “Don’t be so nervous!” And with that mild admonishment, the princess pressed her hoof into into Sunset’s chest just as her horn glowed. Almost immediately, Sunset felt her breathing return to normal and the nervous energy drain from her system. It was relief unlike anything she’d felt before. Her anxiety was still there she could feel, but her body was mercifully no longer acting on it. “Better?” the princess asked.

“Much,” Sunset nodded. “Thank you.”

“Don’t worry about it in the slightest,” Celestia answered. “Some ponies get used to being around me faster than others, but I do what I can if somepony is nervous like you. Can you carry on speaking?”

“I’m okay, I promise, thanks to that spell,” Sunset said.

“Wonderful. So, Sunset, I don’t teach every one of my students the same way, you know. I help them along the path they choose as best I can. What do you want to learn to be?” Princess Celestia asked, her hooves coming up so her chin could rest in them.

“I -” Sunset began, only to stop herself before she’d really begun. “When… when you sent me that letter,” she restarted, her voice becoming a little more somber, “I thought I’d been chosen because I was the most talented mage my age in all of Equestria. But when I got here, almost everypony could do the things I thought that had made me special.” She paused, trying to figure out a way to make her thoughts not come out as lame as they sounded in her head. But there seemed to be nothing for it, so she pressed on, looking down into her forehooves. “But I want to be that pony I thought I was. Just, even better. I want to be that heroine that ponies look up to to help them solve the problems they can’t. The one they trust. Sorry if that sounds way mushier than what you normally hear,” she added, hoping to mitigate some of it.

“Not in the slightest,” Princess Celestia replied with earnestness. “Sunset Shimmer, your dream of yourself is both noble and strong, and such a dream is one I don’t hear from too many ponies. If this is the pony you wish to be, I can most certainly teach you how to become her.”

“It’s not too, fairy tale like?” Sunset asked, still unhappy with her explanation.

“Sunset Shimmer,” Celestia said, soft and caring, “it’s those whose hearts are as pure as fairy tales that can truly change the world for the better.”