Playing With Purpose

by Caffum

Rating: everyone
Tags: Princess Luna, Original Character, Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 10964

Twilight Sparkle battles with magical dolls

Aura Battle is the new game exploding in popularity all over Equestria. Unicorns battle with magical AuraDolls in an attempt to earn the crown of Aura Battle Grand Champion. Twilight Sparkle, who is returning to Canterlot to help the princesses with a special project, discovers the game and instantly becomes hooked. Does Twilight have what it takes to become the Grand Champion? Or will the secrets behind the game trip her up along the way?

Cover Art by SophieCabra (http://sophiecabra.deviantart.com/)

Published 2012-06-03 13:24:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-07-03 19:48:05 UTC

Prologue: Gems and Technology

Prologue: Gems and Technology

Shortly after the wedding between Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard, unicorns in Canterlot began to excavate the caves within the mountain once again thanks to the rediscovery by Queen Chrysalis. At first, the gems that were contained within the caves were simply sold to ponies as decoration or jewelry. But one day during a routine shift in the mine, a sick worker accidentally discharged a beam of magic during a sneeze. This beam of magic was absorbed by a small sapphire upon contact. This caused the sapphire to glow a brilliant blue, and the gem became to hot for direct hoof contact.

The sapphire was quickly cut out and brought to the attention of Princess Celestia, who ordered that the gem be studied for its potential magical properties. The mines were once again closed down while researchers performed all sorts of tests on the precious gemstone. It was soon discovered that these gemstones were able to release the energy of the magic that they had absorbed. Further testing showed that by using the proper materials, this magical energy could be converted into electricity.

Upon this discovery, the mines were quickly reopened and the gems were excavated for the purpose of testing to see which ones held a stronger magical charge with less effort. It was soon discovered that sapphires were able to hold the strongest magical charges for the longest period of time. Further research even showed that the gemstones could power entire sets of buildings for days at a time, and that when drained of their energy, the sapphire simply had to be recharged instead of discarded like most other gemstones.

Plants were built, employing ponies with strong magical abilities to charge up these gemstones. Meanwhile, public sale of sapphires were cut off. Any of these gemstones that were excavated went directly to the charging plants of Canterlot and her surrounding cities.

Inventions for the use of electricity were being made and implemented at an alarming rate. Buildings shot skyward as businesses quickly worked their way up in size, employing thousands of ponies from across Equestria, causing them to move in mass to cities like Canterlot, Manehattan, and Fillydelphia.

However, there was an issue with the current system. Despite hundreds of ponies being available for gem charging at the plants, the spell that had to be cast was extremely draining. Even ponies with the strongest magical ability would only be able to charge one gem at a time, and from then would need a full day's rest without magic use in order to be able to use the spell again. This concerned Princess Celestia, as she pondered the negative side effects of such great magical drain on her subjects.

The Princess herself began researching possible methods to casting such a powerful spell without such a need for magical drain. After a few months of critical research, a breakthrough was made. However, the princess was the only pony able to cast the spell in such a way. Small teams of unicorns trained to attempt the same feat, but none of them were able to replicate it. Unwilling to admit defeat, the Solar Monarch decided to create several different training methods to help unicorns discover such control of their own magical ability. Most of the training routines were met with some disdain, however.

After a few more attempts, the princess finally found a way to help unicorns train or discover the control of their magical ability. It was a rather unconventional method, but Princess Celestia was willing to take the gamble, hoping that someday, a unicorn would be able to unlock the secret to magical control...

Chapter One: Welcome Back!

Chapter 1: Welcome Back!

Tap... Tap... Tap...

"You're doing it again, Twilight," the purple unicorn whispered to herself as she glanced out of the train window once again,wresting control of a hoof impatiently tapping on the windowsill. The locomotive had finally entered the heart of Canterlot, causing Twilight to become anxious at the sights of the tall buildings whizzing by. She could see towers of the castle she once called home peeking just above the newly burgeoning metropolis, but beyond that, all of the sights were new to her. Lights of various colors shot by in rapid lines as the train sped its way towards the depot, catching Twilight's eyes as she scanned side-to-side, trying to catch everything she saw pass. Finally, the train entered a tunnel, allowing her a chance to pull her gaze away from the window.

Knowing the tunnel meant that she would soon be at her destination, Twilight decided it was best to remind herself why she had travelled to Canterlot that day. Her horn glowed as she cast a spell, causing her bag to open and a small piece of parchment to gently float out. It unfurled itself and moved to the purple unicorn, levitating in front of her face to allow her to read.

My dearest student, Twilight Sparkle,

My sister Luna and I would like your assistance on a special project. If you wouldn't mind coming to Canterlot for a few weeks, your help would be much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

The letter had come to her rather abruptly. She wondered what this special project could possibly be and why they only needed Twilight. It had been the first time that she had been summoned to Canterlot by herself. While it was a tough decision to leave her friends behind for such a long period of time, Twilight decided it would be best to help the princesses out in any way she could, especially if they had requested her help personally. She was also extremely excited at a chance to try out all of the new technology she had been reading about.

Despite the major boom in Canterlot and the larger cities, Ponyville remained rather stagnant in it's technological advancement. The only reason Twilight knew of the advancements was because of reports and papers she had received from Princess Celestia detailing the advancements. I wonder if the princess will take me to see the gem charging plant, she wondered to herself, tapping her hoof against the windowsill again in impatient glee at the thought.

Her thoughts were interrupted, however, as the train began to slow itself. Twilight looked over the letter a few more times before finally rolling it back up and placing it back in her bag. Orange light filled the train as it pulled into the depot, lurching forward a bit as it came to a complete stop. Twilight got off of her seat and levitated her saddlebags onto her back, adjusting to the weight before finally stepping into the aisle and moving with the crowd as it departed the train.

"Wow, this is amazing! This is more than I ever imagined!" Twilight said to herself as she stepped through the door of the train and made her way down the ramp. She didn't know where to look first as her eyes were greeted with sights and sounds throughout the entire train station. Lampposts cast their orange glow across the entire station, filling every inch with artificial light. Monitors hung on the walls, quietly humming with power as they displayed train departure and arrival times. There was a buzz in the air as ponies hurried to catch their trains or talked with their companions at one of the many cafes that lined the walls of the terminal. Soft music could barely be heard coming through small speakers that hung inconspicuously from the ceiling.

Twilight wandered through the station, mesmerized by all of the new sights and sounds. She walked into a store, amazed at the various products it was selling, some of which she had never read about or learned the name of. She made her way to a small, black, rectangular box with a screen on it. She studied intensely, lifting it up with her magic and observing it from every angle she could. After having no luck in figuring it out for herself, she turned to the clerk that was at the counter.

"Excuse me, ma'am, what is this exactly?" she asked, raising the box up higher for the attendant to see. The clerk looked up and cocked an eyebrow at Twilight.

"That’s a portable television..." she answered warily.

"Interesting... and what do you do with it?" Twilight continued.

"You... watch it," the clerk responded again, a hint of annoyance in her voice. Twilight nodded and looked back at the small television. She stared at the box for a few seconds, hoping something would happen, but to no avail. Maybe it’s broken... she thought to herself as she replaced it on the counter. She continued to browse the store before a loud tone interrupted the music across the entire station, startling her and causing her to look up at the ceiling.

"Attention. Attention. The 1:30 Manehattan Express will be departing in five minutes from platform number seven. Again, the 1:30 Manehattan Express will depart in five minutes on platform seven. Please make sure you have all of your belongings when boarding. Thank you," a stallion's voice announced, booming and causing it to echo throughout the entire station. After a few seconds of silence, the speakers resumed playing their normal music. Twilight could feel herself shaking from the surprise as she regained her senses and decided to make her way out of the store. Well... I didn't know that they could do that... at least nopony will miss their train, she thought to herself as she once again looked up at the ceiling. She took a moment to calm herself as she used her magic to once again open her bag, pulling out another piece of parchment. She unfurled it and looked over the details before nodding and rolling it back up, replacing it in the bag.

Well, if it's almost 1:30, I guess that means I should head outside. The princess' royal escort should be waiti- she began to think to herself before she was interrupted by the cheers of several ponies gathered in front of the next storefront. They had all of their attention focused on a large monitor sitting in the window. Curiosity got the best of Twilight as she maneuvered her way over towards the commotion. She found a small hole in the group and made her way in, attempting to get a view of the screen. As she was finally able to move herself in a position to she, she felt her ears go back as she formed her mouth into the shape of an "O" as images and colors flickered about on the monitor.

"Wow... is this one of those television things?" she asked the pony nearest to her, a brown unicorn stallion with a long gray mane. He looked at her, appearing disgusted, as if she had just insulted him.

"Yeah... it’s a television..." he responded in a gruff tone. Twilight nodded and turned her attention toward the television, watching what was going on. It appeared to be a standoff between two earth ponies. One had orange fur with a bright yellow mane and tail that was cropped short. The other was a dark blue, its green mane falling gracefully across its left shoulder, and its tail hanging down, barely brushing the ground. Suddenly, the two ponies charged, slamming into each other and clashing for a second before pushing away and taking a few steps back. The two ponies began to circle around, staring at each other with an intense gaze.

Twilight cocked her head to the side. She was confused by what she was watching. "Why would they be fighting each other? What is this we are watching?" she asked the stallion again.

“You're kidding right? It's the Aura Battle Grand Finals,” he responded, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Aura Battle? What is that?" Twilight continued to pester the stallion.

"What, are you from Ponyville or something? You've never heard of Aura Battle?" the stallion responded, the annoyance very obvious in his voice now. Twilight shyed away, nodding a bit. The stallion sighed. "It's the biggest game ever right now. This is the match between the two top fighters from all of Equestria. The orange one is Sunfire and the blue one is Dew Drop. The winner of this fight will be the league champion!" he explained, turning his attention back to the fight.

"Oh! So these ponies have fought other pon-" Twilight started.

"Dolls. They're dolls. The actual unicorns are just controlling them with their magic," he explained without breaking his gaze from the fight.

"Dolls? So you mean this is just a game with toys?" Twilight asked with a negative tone.

"That's what I said earlier if you had listened," the stallion said, sounding rather aggravated once again. Twilight decided to stop questioning and instead turned her attention to the television.

The two dolls were in a standoff once again, staring at each other as they slowly walked in a circle. After a few moments, they dashed at each other once again, colliding heads and staggering back a step. Dew Drop shook his head and quickly recovered from the blow, sighting his opponent who was still dazed. Dew Drop quickly flipped around and balanced onto his front hooves, thrusting his hind legs out in an attempt to strike his opponent. But Sunfire managed to recover and duck down just in time. The orange pony reached its forehooves out, grabbing hold of Dew Drop's front legs. Quickly pulling and lifting at the same time, Sunfire caused his opponent to flip around and land face-first with a loud smack on the ground. The ponies around Twilight cheered along with the TV audience.

"Sunfire once again shows his unmatched speed in an excellent reversal! Dew Drop doesn't have many hit points left, but this where his controller shines!" An unseen announcer on the television said with an excited tone. The camera zoomed in to show Dew Drop laying on the ground, a grimace across his face.

"Wow! That was a pretty neat move. A doll just moved like that," Twilight said in amazement, her mouth agape as she watched the speed of the match unfolding before her.

"Yep, Sunfire there is one of the best in the league. He hasn't been beaten in all three seasons since his debut. Even has a few special tricks that I've never seen another doll do before," the stallion next to her agreed in a more friendly tone. Twilight smiled as the camera focused back on the two ponies, feeling the urge to cheer on the orange doll.

Dew Drop began to stand as Sunfire jumped up above his opponent. Sunfire took aim and let gravity pull him down, bringing his hind legs into his body. When he was close enough, he snapped his legs out to kick Dew Drop. However, the blue pony managed to move to the side, causing Sunfire to simply strike the ground. At that moment, Dew Drop struck his opponent in the mouth with a foreleg, then jumped forward, tackling Sunfire to the ground. the orange pony wriggled himself free, standing up quickly, but was met with a strong kick from Dew Drop, sending the orange pony flying. Sunfire bounced on the ground and slid to a stop.

Dew Drop broke into a quick gallop, taking advantage of his opponent being down to close in. Sunfire lay in a motionless heap as Dew Drop closed the gap. The blue pony stood on its hind legs, preparing to slam its forehooves down onto its orange nemesis in a finishing blow.

"Oh no! Hurry and move! If you get hit by that you'll lose!" Twilight cried out, startling several of the ponies around her. She ignored their glares as she watched the match intensely.

As if he had heard Twilight's cries, Sunfire's eyes snapped open and looked up at his opponent. Dew Drop propelled his body downwards, slamming his forehooves down.

"No! It's too late!" Twilight covered her eyes.

A large cloud of dust kicked up around the two dolls as a rumble filled the arena. Everything went silent as they awaited the commentary from the announcer.

"There it is! Dew Drop's finishing blow, Thunder Hooves! But... Wait! Oh my gosh! Sunfire managed to escape! I thought he was finished, but his controller picked the right moment to unveil his wings!" the announcer practically yelled.

"Huh? What?" Twilight said, baffled as she uncovered her eyes. On the screen, she could see the orange pony hovering in the air, flapping two yellow, somewhat transparent wings, staring down at his opponent. "A pegasus? I thought he was an earth pony? I didn't see any wings of him before?" Twilight questioned. The stallion next to her nodded as a wide smile crossed his face.

"Remember what I said about him being able to do things other dolls can’t? Sunfire is the only one in the league who has those wings," he explained as he watched the fight in anticipation of what the orange doll would do next.

Sunfire quickly sighted his opponent and gave his wings a flap, turning downwards and aiming straight for Dew Drop. The blue pony braced itself to take the hit, but to no avail as Sunfire slammed into his opponent with his forehooves. Dew Drop was lifted from his feet and pushed backwards, grimacing from the hit. Sunfire quickly wrapped his forelegs around the blue pony and shot into the air, carrying Dew Drop with him. After a few seconds, the orange pony flipped around and threw his blue opponent towards the ground. He hesitated for a second and then chased after the mass of blue travelling downward quickly. Dew Drop slammed into the ground with a loud thud, and a split second later, was struck by a headbutt by Sunfire, causing another cloud of dust to shoot up around the two dolls. After a few seconds a loud buzzer sounded in the background, eliciting cheers from the audience on the television and the group at the train station, including Twilight herself.

"Fight over! Dew Drop has been knocked out through loss of hit points! Mares and Gentlecolts, this season's Aura Battle Grand Champion, Sunfire!" the announcer yelled out, practically out of breath with excitement from watching what had just unfolded.

"Wow! That was amazing! Oh my gosh! I've never seen anything like that! I need to go look into this Aura Battle game!" Twilight stammered in excitement as the crowd around the television began to break apart.

"Well, kid, if you have some spare bits, just go to any toy store in the city. They're bound to have some dolls," the brown stallion replied as he walked away.

"That's an even better idea! I'll play the game! There's no better way to learn about it! Oh, I hope they sell rule books. I definitely need to get a rule book!" she continued on as she watched the championship presentation on the television.

"For the third season in a row, we are pleased to announce the Grand Champion, Sunfire! He put up a tough fight all season long and once again came away undefeated," the announcer said. "Let's not forget about his controller, the one who makes this all possible, P-"

"In the city for five minutes and you're already obsessed with the technology. They must really keep you sheltered down there in Ponyvilly, Twily," a familiar voice said, causing Twilight to quickly turn away from the televised ceremony. A white unicorn stallion stood before her, flanked by two other gray pegasi. His golden helmet was removed, resting under a foreleg. His mane was dark blue with a single light blue streak running through it. His shaggy mane and tail and his gentle blue eyes gave him a non-threatening appearance, even when he donned his golden armor. He gave his sister a warm smile as he stepped toward her.

Twilight's eyes went wide as she quickly trotted forward, standing up and wrapping her forelegs around her brothers neck. "BBBFF! What are you doing here? I thought I was just going to have a simple escort to the castle?" Twilight asked in happy surprise.

"Well, I convinced Princess Celestia that an escort from the Captain of the Royal Guard would be necessary to make sure her student arrived on time and safe," he replied with a wink. "Unfortunately, that first part is already not going to happen," he teased, rubbing the top of her mane. He looked behind her at the television. "So what exactly stole your attention for so long?" he asked.

"Oh! This game called Aura Battle! There was some fight on the television there," Twilight answered. "This orange one was amazing! It used these wings to dodge a hit and then finished off this blue on before it had a chance to even move!" she explained in excitement.

"An orange one with wings, eh?" her brother replied as he watched replays of critical points in the fight on the television. "So she won again..." he trailed off.

"Again? So you've seen him before? Does that mean you like Aura Battle?" Twilight asked.

"I know a little bit about it," he replied simply, still watching the post-fight festivities being shown.

"Oh! That reminds me! I need to write myself a note to find a store. I want to buy a rule book and try out Aura Battle while I'm here," she said, using her magic to pull out a quill and a small piece of parchment.

Shining Armor shook his head, breaking his gaze from the television. "No need to remind yourself. Why don't we go get you a doll right now? There's a toy store not far from here." he said to his sister, causing her to raise an eyebrow.

"Didn't you just say we were late?" she questioned.

"Oh, don't worry, we have a little bit of time," he said with a smile. He walked back towards the other guards, motioning for his sister to follow. "Besides, I want to buy my little sister a welcome home gift!"

"N... no need to do that. I can go and find it on my free time. Besides, won't Princess Celestia be waiting?" Twilight asked.

"I have a feeling she isn't even at the castle right now," Shining Armor replied with a wink. "Now hurry up, Twily, or you're going to end up having to walk to the castle," he said as he moved with the guards towards the exit. Twilight thought about pressing the issue further, but shrugged it off and quickly trotted to catch up with her brother.

~~~~~

Twilight marveled at the size of the toy store as she followed her brother through the open door. Shelves upon shelves were filled front to back with all sorts of toys. She spied various sizes of stuffed animals, plastic figurines, dolls, fake swords, and various electronic toys she had never seen or heard of before.

"Wow! It's more amazing in here than the train station!" she exclaimed as she wandered around, curiously looking at various toys. "How am I going to know if I see anything to with Aura Battle in here?" she asked.

"Oh, Aura Battle? That's all right here behind the counter, miss," replied the store clerk that had overheard her. She was a pink unicorn with a curly purple mane. She turned around and used her magic to pull a large purple box off of the shelf, setting it down gently on the counter. "Will that be all for you?" she asked.

"Ye-" Twilight began before her brother stepped up to the counter in front of her.

"Actually, can she get all of the starter accessories as well? Oh, and an extra set of repair supplies. Oh yeah, and a creation and repair terminal," he listed off quickly as the clerk turned around and rapidly began to pull what he ordered off of the shelf.

"You know just a little bit about it, huh?" Twilight said in a suspicious tone, raising an eyebrow as she glanced at her brother.

"Well, perhaps a bit more than the average pony," he replied with a small chuckle as he paid for the set of toys.

"Is all of this completely necessary?" Twilight asked as she watched the clerk fill a large bag with the various accessories.

"If you want to get a good start it is," Shining Armor replied as he lifted the bag from the counter with his magic, hovering it over to Twilight, who immediately took control of the bag and set them upon her back. "Just make sure you have fun and don't take it too seriously, Twily," he said with a smile as they walked out of the door and back into the carriage.

~~~~~

"You know, you're more than welcome to stay with me and Cadance," Shining Armor said as he escorted Twilight up to her old living quarters. Twilight simply shook her head.

"No, it's alright. I'll be fine. I lived here the entire time I was learning from the Princess," Twilight responded. Shining Armor nodded as they reached the door. He reached up and wrapped his sister in a quick embrace before waving goodbye and heading back down the path towards the castle gate. Twilight sighed and turned to face the door, using her magic to turn the handle and push it open.

She stepped inside and looked around, smiling at the familiar sight. Books still lined the shelves on multiple floors, and reading stands were scattered about, some with books open, most likely to the last page Twilight left them on. She walked in and set her saddlebags on the bed, then used her magic to empty the toy store bag onto a nearby desk. She stretched for a moment and looked over all of the accessories.

"Well... Perhaps I should get started on making this?" she said to herself as she lifted the box with her magic. The Aura Battle logo was displayed prominently on the front, with small black text underneath stating "contains 1 blank doll." Twilight checked the box for any other details before finally opening a small flap on the top. She turned the box over and gave it a shake, causing a small manual and a foam cube to slide out and bounce harmlessly onto the desk.

She discarded the box to the side and picked up the cube with her magic. Examining it closely, she found that there were two foam pieces simply taped together. Carefully, she broke the seal of the tape with her magic and lifted the top piece away, placing it on the ground next to her. Inside was a small, grey, pony-shaped doll. It had no features except for a pair of closed eyes. The shoulders and knees all had small ball joints to allow for full movement. There was no mane or tail, but instead small slits and holes where they should have been. Twilight raised an eyebrow at the doll as she lifted it out of its embedding in the second piece of foam.

"Well... you're kinda ugly," she said as she spun it around, lifting one of the legs and watching it drop lifelessly back to it's original position. "Those two ponies I saw on the screen originally started as this?" She asked as she placed it down upon her bed and picked up the manual, flipping open the cover and levitating it in front of her face.

"Thank you for purchasing the PoniCo Aura Battle AuraDoll. Remember to keep the AuraDoll away from young foals as it contains sensitive electronic parts. Do not take the AuraDoll into the bath with you. If there are any malfunctions with your AuraDoll, please contact PoniCo as soon as possible so any problems can be resolved," Twilight read aloud. She looked over the manual back at the doll. Sensitive electronics, eh? No wonder you were covered in so much wrapping, she thought to herself as she turned her attention back to the manual.

"Please make sure any internal accessories such as manes or tails are attached to the doll before placing it in the registration terminal, as the holes will seal themselves at that time," she continued. "Any damage sustained to the AuraDoll during a game of Aura Battle is the fault of the consumer and PoniCo has no liability when it comes to basic post-game repairs. Please be sure to take the AuraDoll to a trained professional if you are unable to repair it yourself," Twilight finished. She put the manual down and picked up the doll.

"For a toy, you sure are something fragile," she said to the blank pony body. "Well, we better get started, I suppose," she said to herself as she looked through her accessories and found a package containing various colors of manes and tails. Hmm, I want it to have orange, like that pony that won today. Oh! This is perfect! she thought to herself as she pulled a pack of orange hair from the box.

She inserted a tuft of hair into the hole on the rear and placed the rest in the small slit across the head and neck. From here she pondered a bit, carefully turning the doll around so that no hair fell out. I think I want the mane and tail to be short... something easy to take care of, like Sunfire had, she told herself as she used her magic to open a drawer and lift out a pair of scissors. She neatly cut the tail to a length that caused it to bob right above the doll's flank. Next, focusing on the mane, she carefully cut it so it was just the length of the neck, with the bangs short enough to hang just over the forehead and not block the eyes.

"Perfect!" Twilight said aloud, as she looked the doll over, proud of her handywork. "Now... I think I have to use this?" she said as she levitated the terminal off of the far end of the desk and set it down directly in front of her. The terminal was a small round pad, with a few buttons and a screen protruding from the side. Twilight looked it over a bit before picking the manual back up. She flipped to the next page.

"Turn the terminal on by pressing the green button. When the main surface lights up, place your AuraDoll onto it. The screen will then give you information, as well as a chance to name and customize your AuraDoll. Naming and customization of an AuraDoll cannot be undone, so be absolutely sure you have set everything up correctly for your product," she read aloud. She gave the small green button a quick push, hearing the click confirming it had been activated. The pad lit up a brilliant white, humming with power.

Twilight studied it, watching the screen for instructions. After a few moments of nothing happening, she shrugged and placed the doll on the pad. The white light engulfed the doll, and the monitor attached to the side of the terminal flickered on. She looked it over.

Welcome to Aura Battle! Your AuraDoll registration number is 1139671092. Checking... Your doll shows no sign of injuries and requires no internal or external replacements. Please use your magic to choose a body color for your doll...

"Wait... use my magic to choose? How do I do that?" she asked, pulling the manual back up to her eyes. Oh, apparently by surrounding the terminal with my magic and thinking of a color, it will change the color of the doll, she thought to herself as she read the next few pages. She put the manual down and focused on the terminal. A faint purple aura appeared around the entire terminal as she began to think of the proper color. white... white... white... she told herself in her head. After a few seconds, she looked up, noticing the doll's body had changed to a pure white color. As she let the magical aura die down, the next set of instructions scrolled across the screen.

Please adjust the sliders to customize the skill and size of your AuraDoll...

Twilight studied the sliders. "Speed... Power... Health... Height..." she read aloud. She shrugged and once again cast a spell to surround the terminal with an aura. She moved the speed slider to the right, increasing the ability. As she did this, she noticed the power, health, and height sliders began to automatically decrease at different rates. Oh! I see, as I adjust his abilities, the meters change to account for it. Hmm, so I have to be careful with how I do this part. Well, I want him to be fast... but not too weak... just a perfect balance. I don't want him to be too tall, but I don't want him to be short, either, she thought to herself. She played with the sliders until she was satisfied with their positions. The speed slider was the furthest to the right of the screen, with the power slider sitting slightly left of the middle. The health slider sat at the exact midpoint, along with the height meter. The terminal gave a small confirmation beep as the pad lit up even brighter, bathing the doll in a blinding white light. It quickly changed form to account for the statistics listed on screen, shrinking a small bit before the light finally faded, leaving the finished doll standing idle once again. The monitor blinked to confirm the stats and scrolled the next instruction across the screen.

Please choose a name for your doll...

Twilight thought for a few moments. She had never considered any names while she was getting the doll ready. She looked over the doll standing in the terminal. Well, that pony that won today was named Sunfire... Oh! I have an idea! she thought to herself. Twilight once again closed her eyes and surrounded the terminal with her magical aura, thinking of nothing but the name that had popped into her head. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes. To her surprise, the doll's eyes were open, looking back at her. She smiled as she looked at the monitor.

Firemane is now ready to play Aura Battle. Good luck!

The light on the pad died down as Twilight lifted the doll off and looked it over. She admired her handiwork, thinking about the match she had watched that day. She couldn't wait until she had a chance to fight against other ponies. Maybe one day I'll even get a chance to play against Sunfire, she thought to herself. Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. It opened and inside stepped the Princess of the Night, her dark blue and black mane trailing behind her midnight blue body elegantly as the draft blew at it.

"Ah, Twilight Sparkle, it is good to see you again," Princess Luna said.

"You too, Princess Luna," Twilight replied. "What is this special project you needed my help for?" she asked.

The Princess stepped inside and eyed the doll that Twilight held before her. "Ah yes, the project, my sister and I will explain your role in due time, however, I came here to tell you that she has had a busy day and needs to rest. But first, is that an AuraDoll?" Luna asked.

"Yeah, it is! I saw two ponies playing Aura Battle as I made my way out of the train station. It was amazing!" She said, sending the doll over to Luna to take a look. "Shining Armor bought me a doll on our way back because I liked the game so much," she continued, blushing a bit in embarrassment.

Luna studied the doll carefully, flipping it around and looking at all of the features. "Ah, yes, indeed, you did a nice job with the creation of this one, Twilight Sparkle. It's very good for a first attempt," she said. "Have you had a chance to play the game yet?" the princess asked.

Twilight shook her head. "No, not yet. I was hoping to get a chance sometime later this week if the project doesn't keep us too busy," she said.

Luna smiled. "Lucky for you, Twilight Sparkle, I have played the game several times myself. If you would like, we can go to a cafe tomorrow morning and I shall show you the basics of playing," she said.

Twilight's eyes lit up with excitement. "W... Why yes! Of course Princess! I would love that!" she said, excited. "But what about the project?" she asked.

"Oh, don't worry about the project. We shall start that in due time. I will meet you here tomorrow morning, Twilight Sparkle. Be prepared to have some fun!" the Princess said as she turned and left. Twilight bounced around excitedly, levitating her doll to her and looking it over in anticipation of the next day. After a few moments, she set the doll on an end table and began to unpack the rest of her things.

Chapter Two: A Lesson in Magic

Chapter 2: A Lesson in Magic

Princess Celestia sat on the small balcony of her bedroom, staring off into the distance. Her horn glowed a soft yellow as she watched the sun slowly make its way down behind the mountains, turning the sky a brilliant burnt orange. The event was one of the only times she could relax, focusing just enough on the task at hand to prevent any mishaps while her mind wandered through the days events. However, the abrupt sound of a hoof rapping against the large wooden door broke her train of thoughts.

"Come in!" she called out, listening to the hinges creak as the door was pushed open. She could hear the sound of carpet crunching underneath the hooves of her guest in approach of the balcony, turning her head only slightly to notice the midnight blue coat of the pony that took a seat next to her. Princess Celestia smiled as she turned her attention back towards the sun, putting the finishing touches on before finally letting the aura dissipate from her horn.

Princess Luna immediately took over, her horn glowing a dark blue as the sky began to turn a dark shade of purple. The moon slowly crested the mountaintops as it made its way into the sky. The stars flickered to life, as if somepony had flicked on a magical light switch, giving the sky a scene of playful brilliance. Luna let the aura around her horn die down as her work completed. The two sisters looked over their handiwork, nodded, and went inside.

"To what do I owe the occasion of a visit?" Celestia asked her younger sister.

"I have come to tell you that Twilight Sparkle has arrived safely from Ponyville," Luna replied.

"Good, I can't wait to see her again," Celestia said with a smile as she walked towards her bed, levitating a small doll into a case before shutting the lid and lifting it onto an empty shelf of a nearby bookcase.

"Also, congratulations on your victory today. Is that three in a row now?" Luna asked. Celestia gave a small nod. "Which reminds me, Twilight Sparkle has an AuraDoll now. She saw your fight on a television in the train station."

"That's Twilight for you. Naturally curious about everything she sees. That does make the project a little easier as well," Celestia said with a small chuckle.

"I am going with her tomorrow to show her how to play. Would you like me to tell her about the project?" Luna asked.

"No, that's alright little sister. Let's see if she likes the game enough to keep playing before we force it on her. Besides, I called her out here, pulling her away from her friends and duties in Ponyville. It should be me who explains the project to her," Celestia answered. The two princesses shared a nod of agreement before bidding each other a good night. As Princess Luna left the room, Princess Celestia couldn't help but smile at the natural turn of events.

"Hopefully, she will be the one to unlock the power of the AuraDoll," Celestia said to herself as she looked up at the case on the bookshelf. She stifled a yawn before crawling into bed, using her magic to dim the lights in the room as she laid her head down on a pillow. Before long, Princess Celestia drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~

Daylight slowly began to light up the room in which the purple unicorn slept. Twilight could feel the heat of the sun radiating against her face, stirring her awake. She flinched as she slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the sharp brightness of daylight that attempted to penetrate her eyelids. She sat up and stretched her forelegs upward as she blinked away the last of her sleepiness, looking around the room. She was confused for a moment before realizing that she had come back to her old room in Canterlot the previous day. Twilight wasn't sure how to feel about not being able to see her friends or Spike for a long period of time while she helped the Princesses with their special project. She chose to shake the negative thoughts from her head, knowing that they only would make her long to be back in Ponyville instead of focusing on what she had to do while she was here.

She used her magic to push the sheets down to the end of the bed, rolling out and walking over to the nightstand with the mirror. I wonder what time Princess Luna will get here to take me to that cafe she thought to herself as she levitated a brush, working it through the mess her mane had become through the course of the night. As if on cue, there came a loud knock at the door, surprising the unicorn.

"Twilight Sparkle? Are you ready yet?" Princess Luna called through the door.

"J-just a minute!" Twilight stammered. She pulled the brush roughly through her mane a few more times, quickly pulling out knots of hair that refused to untangle. She looked around in a panic, finding her doll and quickly putting it into her saddlebags before levitating them onto her back and trotting to the door. She pulled it open with magic to find the Princess and two guards waiting on the steps just outside.

"Sorry I'm late, Princess," Twilight apologized. "I must have overslept. I did stay up pretty late last night. I was excited about today," she admitted, feeling herself flush a bit in embarrassment. Luna simply smiled at her sister's pupil.

"No need to worry, Twilight Sparkle. I have arrived early just in case you were already ready. Do you have everything?" Princess Luna asked. Twilight gave a quick nod as Luna turned and headed towards the nearby chariot. Twilight was barely able to contain her excitement as she followed the Princess up the step and into the cozy comfort of the royal chariot.

~~~~~

"Wow! This place looks amazing!" Twilight gasped as a guard opened the chariot door, revealing the destination to the two passengers. Twilight stepped down onto the pavement of the street, her head tilted upwards in awe of the cafe that lay before her. A large screen hung above the entrance, tilted downwards for passersby to see any Aura Battle fights occurring inside. Ponies were crowding around tables inside the cafe, watching and cheering for fights. Twilight peered through a window, watching two ponies fight intensely on a nearby table while their friends surrounded them yelling words of encouragement.

"Oh! Must be a tournament day," Luna commented as she headed inside, Twilight following closely behind, still in awe of the sights surrounding her.

"Tournament day?" Twilight asked.

"Cafes like this tend to hold small tournaments every now and then. It's a good way for beginners to practice their skills against other ponies," Princess Luna explained as she approached the counter. The bright yellow unicorn working behind the counter lazily flipped through a magazine, twirling at her pink mane with her free hoof as she looked up at the ponies approaching. Her eyes went wide for a second as she hid the magazine behind her back.

"Y-y-your highness!" she stammered aloud, causing several other ponies to look away from their matches. The excitement in the cafe turned into a quieter tension as ponies murmured to each other about the visit of one of the royal sisters. "To w-what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" the mare asked.

"I am here with my good friend Twilight Sparkle to teach her how to play Aura Battle," Luna said to the clerk, ignoring the atmosphere her presence brought to the cafe. Twilight felt her cheeks flush as dozens of ponies immediately fixated their stares towards her at the mention of her friendship with the Princess. She let out a quiet chuckle as she shied towards Princess Luna for protection.

"O-oh, my, what a lucky mare she is, learning from a Princess no less..." the clerk said as she regained her professional composure. "Let's see... There's an open table over by the window over there, feel free to use it for as long as you want, your highness," she said, pointing to a table behind them near the entrance.

Princess Luna nodded and thanked the clerk before guiding Twilight over to the empty table. It was a small square area, no bigger than a table for two at some of the restaurants and cafes in Ponyville. The surface was white and glassy, reflecting the ceiling above it. Embedded into the ceiling was another square, directly overhead. Twilight noticed that this same feature hung over every table.

"Twilight Sparkle, step back please, I'm going to activate the table," the Princess told the unicorn. Twilight took a few steps back, focusing again on the table she would be playing on. A strange humming sound started to be heard from inside the table as the surface began to light up. After a few seconds, the table reached it's full power, the surface shining almost blindingly bright. A ring of electricity shot skyward, connecting with the tile on the ceiling, causing Twilight to jump back, startled from the sudden burst of electricity. The air inside of the table shimmered for a few seconds before finally calming down and becoming invisible once again.

"What was that? Did we break it?" Twilight asked in a worried tone as she cautiously approached the table, reaching a hoof out to touch the air between the two surfaces.

"Don't put your hoof in there Twilight Sparkle. The aura is now active, and I wouldn't want you to get a nasty shock," Luna cautioned as she dug into a small bag.

"Aura? What is that?" Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

"That burst of energy you just saw was the table's aura. It is what allows the electronics inside the dolls to transfer magic into electricity and obey your actions," Luna began to explain. "It is also a shield against physical objects. No pony or object other than dolls can enter the aura, allowing for no interference during matches. Once the doll is inside, it cannot be removed until the aura is cut off."

Twilight nodded, half understanding what the Princess was talking about. "But why should the dolls not be allowed out?" she asked.

"The players are able to utilize the aura as if it were a solid wall. They can use it to evade their opponent by jumping on it or running across it, or even use it to damage their opponent with a hit or a throw," Luna continued to explain. Her hoof emerged from the bag with a small doll. It was as black as midnight, with a long silver mane and tail. The details on the hair and the coat were superb, not a single flaw could be seen. Twilight could feel herself getting a little embarrassed having shown her doll to Princess Luna now knowing what a work of art Luna’s was. "Now, Twilight Sparkle, what I want you to do is take your doll with your magic and place it onto the table," she said as she took the doll from her hoof with a levitation spell and quickly moved it to the surface of the table. The black dolls eyes shot open as it stood awaiting it's opponent.

Twilight opened her saddlebag and used a levitation spell to pull Firemane out. She looked him over once more, feeling the heat of embarrassment creep into her face once again. Twilight quickly moved Firemane towards the aura, watching it shimmer as the doll passed through. She gently sent Firemane down on his hooves, holding him in place and looking up at the Princess for any indication of what to do next.

Luna gave a frown as she stared at the doll. She looked up at Twilight. "Release your levitation spell," she instructed. Twilight nodded and broke off the connection, the aura around her horn dying down. Firemane stood shaky for a second before dropping to the ground under his own weight. Twilight looked confused and worried. She cast the levitation spell once again, standing Firemane back up before releasing it. Again, however, Firemane dropped to the ground, dead weight. After several more failed attempts, Twilight let out a sigh of frustration.

"Okay... something is wrong here... what am I doing wrong?" Twilight asked, upset that her doll would not cooperate with her magic. "Isn't this game played using magic? Why is mine not working?!"

"That is because you are simply casting spells on the doll, Twilight Sparkle. Watch," Princess Luna responded. She released her magical grip of the black pony, who remained standing, eyes still open. "You see, Aura Battle functions under a different kind of magic. You have to picture the doll in your mind doing the actions that you wish it to do. Using your magic will create a bridge with the doll, translating your thoughts into actions thanks to the use of the energy within the aura," she explained. Twilight looked dumbfounded, as she stared down at the doll.

"So, all I have to do is think hard enough about what I want it to do and it will do it?" she asked in a confused tone. Princess Luna shook her head.

"It is more than that. You have to be able to cast your own magical aura around the doll to draw energy, and from there your thoughts have to be in sync with your magic in order for the doll to perform well. If your thoughts are out of sync with your magic, then the doll will either perform what you are thinking later than you want it to, or not at all," the Princess continued.

Twilight nodded, though still confused. She looked down at Firemane once again. "So, what should I do?" she asked, not sure where to begin.

"Have him stand up."

Twilight nodded again, she closed her eyes and began picturing Firemane in her mind, standing on all four of his legs, ready to charge at the black pony that stood before him. As she did this, she lit her horn with magic, focusing on Firemane. A bright purple aura surrounded the doll still laying on the ground. Twilight frowned in concentration as she repeated the image of Firemane standing up in her mind, hoping that the thought was being transferred to the doll.

"Excellent work Twilight Sparkle!" Princess Luna exclaimed after a few seconds. Twilight opened her eyes, her horn still glowing bright purple as she looked down at the table. Surrounded in an aura of purple, Firemane was standing and facing the opposing doll in the exact same manner that Twilight had thought of. The unicorn couldn't help but let a smile run across her face at her accomplishment. "It seems like you are already in a good sync with your doll. It hardly took any time at all for him to stand up," the Princess continued. Twilight studied the two ponies carefully, noting the bright aura around hers while any signs of one were all but invisible from around the black doll that belonged to Luna.

"Princess, why is the magical energy so much brighter around my doll?" Twilight asked, curious as to this phenomenon.

"The aura surrounding your doll shows how much in sync your magic and your thoughts are. The brighter the aura, the more your magic has to draw energy to transfer the thoughts, meaning you have less of a magical sync. If you are in a very strong sync with your magic, the aura should be contained only to the dolls internals, not visible to the players or anypony watching," Luna explained. Twilight felt her ears lower in disappointment as she looked at Firemane once again. I must not be doing very well then, she thought to herself as another question bubbled up in her mind.

"What happens when you become fully synced with your magic?" the unicorn asked.

"Remember the match you watched coming into town? The doll with the pegasus wings?" Princess Luna answered immediately, as if expecting the question. Twilight nodded. "The more in sync you become, the more abilities you are able to discover and use with your doll. The attack his opponent used was an example of an attack developed from a strong sync. However, a physical change, such as the pegasus wings, can only be brought out if the pony has an absolutely perfect sync between her magic and her thoughts," the Princess explained.

Twilight thought back to the fight, an expression of amazement at the controller's ability crossing her face as she thought of the fights ending. "Princess Luna, how many ponies have been able to achieve a perfect sync like that?" she asked.

"Only the one you saw yesterday. No other pony has been able to sync their thoughts and magic perfectly besides that one," the Princess answered. "Alright, now onto the next les-" she began before being interrupted by a tap on the shoulder from one of the royal guards. The guard whispered something into the ear of the Princess, a grin crossing her face as she took in the secret information.

"Forgive me, Twilight Sparkle, but I must cut the lesson short. It seems my sister needs some assistance with an important matter," Princess Luna explained. "However, you should stay and practice until you feel comfortable." The Princess lowered the aura and retrieved her own doll, before setting the table back up for Twilight. As she packed the doll away, she looked at the unicorn and gave a warm smile. "It seems you are now the student of both me and my sister," she said with a lighthearted chuckle. "Have fun Twilight Sparkle, we shall play again soon." With that, Princess Luna followed the guard out of the cafe.

For a few moments, Twilight sat in silence, staring at Firemane standing on the table. She pictured the doll turning around and facing her in her mind, causing the doll on the table to take a few steps and do an about face, looking up at his owner. A smile crossed Twilight's mouth as she continued to play with the doll, spinning it in circles and making it walk a few steps before breaking out into a trot. This isn't nearly as hard as I thought it was. In fact, it's rather fun now that I'm getting the hang of it, she thought to herself as she made Firemane break into a full gallop, running in a large circle around the table.

"So, you think you're so special that you get a table all to yourself just because you spent some time with one of the princesses," an annoyed voice asked from behind the chair. Twilight turned her head, coming face to face with a unicorn mare standing over her looking rather angry. The mare had a bright pink coat that rivaled Pinkie Pie's, with an extremely curly purple mane and a cutie mark of an ice cream cone emblazoned on her flank. Behind her stood two equally annoyed-looking mares, both white-furred with blue manes styled with the same curls, their cuties marks both resembling curling irons and mane curlers. "Every table here is full and you're by yourself, so why don't you just get up and let us play," the pink mare demanded rudely. Twilight gave a pleading look to the girls, trying to keep the situation under control.

"I'm sorry, I'm just learning how to play, is there any way we can share the table for a while?" she asked. The pink mare's eyes widened as she shot a look back to her friends. She faced Twilight once again, a grin across her face.

"How about we just play each other for the table?" the mare offered coyly, walking around the table to the other side. Twilight shook her head, giggling a little.

"While that does sound fun, I just learned how to play today. But I will keep my doll out of the way of you and your friends if you don't mind," Twilight said.

"No. You will play me for the table, or you will leave. Rules of the cafe," the mare said bluntly, sitting in the chair on the opposite side. Twilight was taken aback by the tone in which the mare spoke to her. She furrowed her brow, not sure what to do in the situation. After a few seconds of thinking, she simply sighed.

"Fine... I'll play you for the table," she said, somewhat annoyed. At this, the pink mare immediately stood up.

"Mares! Gentlecolts! Everypony who is anypony! Over here on this very table, you are about to witness me, Strawberry Scoops, defeat a unicorn who has played Aura Battle with the princesses themselves!" she announced to the entire cafe. Several ponies ears perked up at the mention of the royal sisters, as many of the cafe’s visitors began to make their way over to the table, surrounding it in anticipation of the match.

"But... but I only just star-" Twilight began to say before being cut off.

"Yes, yes, make up your excuses now. It doesn't matter anyways. People will see how good I am when I defeat a student of the princesses," Strawberry Scoops spoke over Twilight, hushing her with a motion of her hoof. The pink mare used her magic to lift a bright pink doll out of her saddlebags and toss it into the aura. As it crossed through the invisible barrier, its eyes shot open. The doll did a flip before landing on all fours, it's darker pink mane flowing downwards and coming to rest across it's back. The doll crouched in a stance ready to charge her opponent.

"Wait! I don't eve-" Twilight tried to object again, but this time was interrupted by one of the pink mare's friends, who walked to the center edge of the table.

"I guess I can be the judge of this fight," she said nonchalantly. "The rules are simple. Knock out the opponent to win. No time limit. The match between Cotton Candy and... uh... what is that... things... name?" the white mare asked.

Twilight furrowed her brow at the insult of her doll. "Firemane," she answered with a growl.

"Right... The match between Cotton Candy and Firemane may begin... NOW!" she yelled out. As she did so, the pink doll began charging forward, it's head down. Twilight panicked, not sure what to do in this situation. She had yet to learn how to attack or defend her doll from Luna yet! Cotton Candy quickly closed the gap and dove forward, leading with her forehead. Twilight let out a yelp of surprise and covered her own head, as if she was dodging the attack herself.

A few laughs were elicited from the gathered crowd at the purple unicorn's actions. After a quick second, she opened her eyes and noticed Firemane was mimicking her, collapsed on the ground with his forehooves covering his head. Twilight felt a rush of heated embarrassment rise to her face as she made her doll stand back up.

"Wow, to think, such a pathetic player is being taught by the princesses. Hopefully they have the mercy to tell you to find a different hobby soon, especially if that's how you play," Strawberry Scoops jeered. Twilight shot a nasty look at the pink mare before focusing on the match yet again.

Cotton Candy had quickly turned around and was ready to charge Firemane again. The pink doll broke into a gallop, but this time jumped into the air, sticking out both hind legs in an attempt to kick Firemane. Twilight panicked, wondering how she could possibly avoid this attack. She quickly wracked her mind, her thoughts going back to the fight she had watched the day previously. Dew Drop had simply rolled out of the way and countered with a punch, Twilight thought to herself. She watched as Cotton Candy came closer, its hind legs stuck out ready to strike its opponent.

Right before the pink doll was about to connect, Firemane quickly jumped to the side, standing on his hind legs and throwing out a forehoof towards his opponent’s face. As Cotton Candy struck the ground, Firemane's attack hit, sending the pink doll twisting violently to the side. Firemane quickly dropped back down to all fours, galloping a few steps before lunging out, wrapping his forelegs around the pink doll. The momentum of the dive carried the two ponies all the way up to the border of the aura, the impact causing the air to shimmer as they slammed into the invisible wall. After a few seconds of pinning his opponent, Firemane took two steps back, releasing the pink doll from his grip. Cotton Candy slumped to the ground, motionless, as a small buzzer went off above the table.

"E... End of match... Cotton Candy is knocked out by loss of hit points... Firemane wins..." the white mare said, stunned by the sudden turn of events. The entire cafe was silent around Twilight for a few seconds as the ponies watching processed what had just happened.

"Wow... That was amazing... She must be a student of the princesses with reaction skills like that," a colt voice said in the audience. This seemed to break the crowd from their stupor as they began to cheer and congratulate Twilight. Across the table, the pink mare slammed her hooves down in frustration as she deactivated the aura and fetched her doll. Tears had begun to well up in her eyes as she turned and packed the doll back into her bags. Twilight gave a concerned look to her opponent, standing up and walking over to her.

"Thanks! That was a lot fun!" Twilight said, hoping to make Strawberry Scoops feel a little bit better about the match.

"Yeah... fun..." the pink mare replied, her voice cracking a bit. "I just can't beat anybody at this game..." she continued. Twilight simply held out her hoof.

"I mean it, I've never played before, but I'm glad my first match could be against a competitive opponent like you," Twilight continued. "Would you... like to play again sometime?" she asked. The pink unicorn looked up, her eyes meeting Twilight's. The pink unicorn studied her purple counterpart for a few seconds before smiling.

"Sure... I want a chance to try and beat you again," Strawberry Scoops said playfully as she took the purple unicorn's hoof. "I'm Strawberry Scoops... sorry our introduction had to be like this," she said.

Twilight shook her head. "No worries. I'm Twilight Sparkle. I look forward to playing again!" she said. "Oh, you and your friends can have the table. I have to get back to the castle soon anyways," she continued as she packed her saddlebags, placing them across her back. She waved goodbye to her new friend and trotted out the door.

~~~~~

Twilight practically skipped home, ecstatic from winning her first match of Aura Battle. She pushed the door to her living quarters open with her magic, a grin still spread across her face as she hummed a happy tune. She quickly removed the saddlebags from her back, placing them on the ground and flipping them open, pulling out Firemane. She trotted over to her bed and sat down, bringing Firemane into her arms. She embraced the doll as if it was a stuffed animal.

"That was amazing!" she said, as she held the doll out, beaming at it. "I'm so proud of you Firemane! You did great!" She wrapped the doll into an embrace before laying back, the crunch of parchment on her back being the only thing to break her out of the wonderful moment. She sat up and looked at her pillow, noticing an unopened letter sitting upon it. She cast a levitation spell, breaking the seal and unfurling the letter before her. She gasped as she recognized the handwriting.

Dear Twilight,
Rarity and I have finished our project extremely early. I will be coming to Canterlot with her tomorrow to drop off the finished product to her client and assist you through the rest of your project. I also have some huge news! Can't wait to see you again!
Your Number One Assistant,
Spike

Twilight felt a very happy smile cross her face. This day can't possibly get any better! she thought to herself as she looked at Firemane once again. Spike is going to love this... I know it!