Another year and a half flies by. The biggest improvement this time? Speech. That's right, little Twilight has gotten an amazing grasp on communication. She still hasn't figured out how to use the hivemind (Yes, I linked her with our hivemind), but that will come with time. I'm just glad I don't have to guess at what she wants anymore, she just lets me know. If only potty training her was as easy...

She's also shown a strong desire to learn how to use magic. And that starts today. I hope she likes books, because the biggest part of learning new spells is reading about how to cast them, how they work, and all of the known nasty side effects that'll come should you miscast the spell. And believe me when I say that some spells can have really nasty side effects.

I start the day off by summoning Twilight from her room. I decided to give her a room of her own a little over half a year ago, and she's loved it for a while. It took her a little while to get used to not sleeping with mommy, but that's just to be expected. Anyway, so I summoned her from her room down to the dining hall. She's gone from that nasty looking mush to solids, which makes it easier to adapt her system to meat. She was quite adverse to the food at first, but got over it eventually. When she put that first scrap of deer meat into her mouth, she seemed to really like it. Strange for a pony to like meat the first time they try it, but I guess it has something to do with her being so young and impressionable. Anyway, back on track. Breakfast this morning was blackberry waffles, ham, and love infused mango juice. While love energy isn't vital for Twilight like it is for the rest of us, giving her love infused food and drinks helps her feel more like one of us.

"So, sleep well?" I asked as I sat down across from Twilight.

"Yep," She said, taking her first bite, "Had another great dream about being out on an enjoyable hunt with my friends".

"What have I told you about talking while chewing?" I asked with a tone of warning.

"Sorry, mommy," Twilight said after swallowing, ears folding back.

I will admit, even I'm still amazed by how well she can communicate. This is a standard kind of conversation over breakfast. Also, why is a child her age having dreams about hunting and killing things? Well, remember who's raising her. Changelings are carnivorous, and so is Twilight now. It's only natural she'd have dreams of being on a great hunt every now and again, even at such a young age.

"So, what were you hunting this time?" I asked, swallowing the last of my first waffle. I absolutely love blackberry waffles, they're my favorite breakfast item.

"Elk," Twilight said, "It was a little harder than I'd expected, but we eventually toppled the beast and claimed it in the name of the changelings. Even finished it off with a flag and heroic pose".

I almost chocked after that last part. Not out of shock, but because it made me laugh a little. This kid has changed me. Hard to think three years ago, I'd have tried to kill her if I'd met her. Now, here I am, laughing at her adventures in a dream she had last night. Oh, how the mighty do indeed fall.

"Well, I know something that'll help you with the hunt," I said, "Magic".

"That would help, yea," Twilight said.

"And I think you're old enough to start learning how to use it," I said.

"Seriously!?" Twilight asked quite loudly.

"Yes, after breakfast and morning duties are tended to, we'll start on your lesson," I explained.

I thought she was going to suddenly learn how to fly right then and there. She doesn't have wings, but I'm certain she could've still flown a little if she'd bounced just a little harder.

"Alright, alright, settle down," I said, "Starting off, I hope you like books. While I go about my morning routine, you'll be reading about basic levitation. I figured we'd start off with the most important basic spell a changeling will ever learn to use".

I refuse to call her a unicorn, It would just raise too many questions, the likes of which I am not yet prepared to answer.

"I won't disappoint you, mommy," Twilight said, "I'll have that book read front to back in no time".

"Yes, well do take your time," I said, "Magic is a fragile thing, not to be taken lightly. As you read, you'll see that even levitation can cause things to go bad if misused".

After breakfast, we head to the library to find the book she'll need. After locating it, I give to her with strict instructions not to practice anything until I can be there with her. I remember my first time trying to levitate something... it wasn't pretty. I'd have preferred to NOT have a repeat of that... but life just doesn't play fair.

Halfway through my duties, my first indication that something was wrong was a kettle flying through my throne room wall. The sudden entrance of an object that wasn't normally there set my guards on alert. I will have to admit how humorous it was watching the most elite of my personal guard attack a kettle. Sighing, I walked over to the new hole in my wall. When I looked through it, what did I see? None other than Twilight's terrified face. I excused myself and went to go talk to her. Upon arriving, I noticed she was hiding under her bed. It took some coaxing, but I eventually got her to come out, though she refused to look away from the floor. All I heard as she walked over was "I'm sorry" being said over and over again. I could tell she was doing everything in her power to not cry.

"What did I tell you NOT to do?" I asked sternly.

"Not to practice without you," Twilight said, gaze still locked on the ground.

"And what did you just do?" I asked.

"I didn't mean to," She said.

"Magic doesn't work unless one wills it to," I explained sternly.

No response.

"Lesson number one: NEVER practice new spells without some one close by in case something goes wrong," I said.

Twilight just simply nodded quietly. I pulled her close and let her know everything was ok. No one got hurt, unless you count my throne room wall as a living thing (Spoiler alert, it isn't). I was disappointed, and I think that was enough for this time. After she settled down, I decided to put my other duties to the side and teach her the proper way to levitate things. And no, I never did find out why she had a kettle in her room.

My name is Chrysalis, and I'm now the mother and mentor of an overeager magic student.

Author's Note

I know some people may be a little concerned about the pacing of everything, so let me explain it. She's being raised by changelings. I see changelings as a race that ages faster than ponies, so they have less time to learn everything required to function properly in society.

"What about the lisp that basically every toddler has?"
We don't know enough about the stages of life for these ponies to know if they even really have a lisp as toddlers. And don't bring up Pumpkin and Pound Cake, they're basically like a year old, maybe slightly older.

"What about magic surges baby unicorns have?"
It's technically just still rumor. Unless somebody can prove to me that a unicorn having uncontrollable magic surges is canon, then I say they don't in this story. And no, Flurry Heart is not a valid example because she's an alicorn, not a unicorn.

"How can Twilight's stomach survive meat?"
While it is true she's an herbivore, I like to think it's possible for her to have the ability to survive on a carnivorous diet. Besides, starting her off young like Chryssie would also help a good bit.