“Alright, Sweetie Belle...” Twilight hummed to herself as she flipped through the pages of her book of magic for intermediary spell casters. “Now that you’ve got a pretty good grasp of levitation spells, maybe you should try learning...” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, wondering if she had the skills to properly teach another pony such a delicate form of magic. It took her ages to perfect it, but she had the best teacher in all of Equestria at her side to guide her through her training. “Teleportation,” she finished, wondering if she was going to regret teaching her.
“T-Telepowhat now?” Scootaloo asked from the other side of the room, cocking her head to the side. “Is that that thing where you disappear and reappear somewhere else? That’d be so cool!” she said, hopping up and down in place.
“Yeah, you could teleport me home so I don’t have to walk all the way home from school every day!” Apple Bloom piped up.
“Settle down, girls,” Twilight said with a soft smile. “That is nowhere near safe, especially for a pony her age. Doing something that complicated takes years and years of practice, and heck, at her age, even I wouldn’t want to attempt such a feat, though if I absolutely had to do it, in a very, and I mean very extreme circumstance, I probably could, but it would leave me absolutely exhausted.”
“Oh please, you could teleport all of Ponyville to Canterlot if you wanted to, Twilight!” Scootaloo said with a laugh. “Like, if you wanted a nap in the middle of the day but everypony was being too loud, you could totally just get rid of all the noise with one spell!”
Twilight rolled her eyes as she giggled. “Yeah, and I’d get in sooo much trouble from Celestia!” Looking down at Sweetie Belle, she asked, “So... you wanna try and learn how to teleport? We would start with small objects for now, and then move up to teleporting yourself when you feel ready.”
“Alright...” Sweetie Belle said with a little bit of hesitation. “Is it gonna make me super tired, though? I was hoping to go have some fun with my friends after this, and I don’t want to be a walking zombie,” she said with a little giggle.
“Well... depending on how much you’ve been practicing, you could get a little tired, yeah,” Twilight said, turning to face Sweetie Belle. “So... wanna try it? We can start with a quill! That won’t take much energy at all.”
“Um... okay!” Sweetie Belle squeaked out. “How do we begin?”
“In theory, it’s actually quite simple, but we’ll take things slow. Here,” she said, holding out a quill. “Use your magic to lift this from my hoof, then concentrate on the entirety of this object. Take it all in, and form a mental picture of it in your mind. When you think you have it, close your eyes and keep thinking about it. When you can fully picture this quill in your mind, think about where you want it to go, then push as much magic as needed for you to send it there.” The quill glowed in Sweetie Belle’s magical grasp as it floated in the air. Twilight sat down, her eyes wide with excitement. “Now don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t work; we’d just have to...” The quill disappeared and reappeared with a light pop behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw it sitting in the only open ink pot on her desk.
“Did I do it?” Sweetie Belle asked, panting softly. A little bit of sweat dripped down from her brow, and her right hind leg trembled from the sudden loss of energy. She felt a little nauseous, and her stomach grumbled.
“You sure did!” Twilight squeed, wrapped her legs around her, and pulled her into a warm hug. “You have no idea how proud I am of you. Performing such a spell successfully on your first try is a very big accomplishment.”
“How many times did it take for you to get it right, Twilight?” Scootaloo piped up from across the room.
Twilight stepped back, her tail swishing back and forth as she blushed. “Um... I think it was around fourteen or fifteen times.”
“Ha!” Scootaloo jumped up and trotted over to Sweetie Belle, then draped a leg over her shoulder. “Better watch out, Twilight, or Sweetie Belle’s gonna get better at magic than you!”
“Pffft!” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “You get a concussion or somethin’, Scootaloo? ‘Cuz it seems like you’re forgetting that Twilight was Celestia’s personal student for years!”
“Yeah, and now she’s teaching Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo shot back. “So that makes it twice as awesome!” she said, stifling a giggle with a hoof. “Seriously though, that’s pretty awesome that you did that on your first try.” She patted Sweetie Belle on the back with a hoof. “I think this warrants a trip to Sugarcube Corner, and I’m buying the first round of treats!”
Apple Bloom’s eyes lit up as a wide grin slid on her face. “Sweet!” Looking up at Twilight, she asked, “Is it okay if we cut things short today? I’m getting kinda hungry, and I forgot to eat something on the way here.”
“That’s fine with me! Starlight wanted to go out for dinner with me, so she’ll be glad to hear that we can go sooner rather than later. I just gotta find her, though...”
“Okay then! See ya next week, Twilight!” Apple Bloom said as she scampered out of the room, Scootaloo hot on her hooves. Sweetie Belle took her time tightening her saddlebag around her.
“So Twilight...” Sweetie Belle said, mindlessly drawing shapes onto the floor with a hoof. “Is it okay if I check that book out from your library? I want to some get in some extra studying before I go to bed tonight.” A sheepish grin slid on her face as she glanced up at Twilight. “I kinda want to practice a little more, too. I want to be as good at magic as you are someday!”
“I guess that’s okay, but only if you promise to stick to the basics,” Twilight said. “I don’t mind you studying ahead, but I don’t want you to try and teleport yourself without my guidance. I tried it one time, and... it didn’t work out so well. Celestia found me shivering on top of a tower. That was the first and only time that I didn’t listen to her.”
“Okay, I promise!” Sweetie Belle said as Twilight levitated the spell book into her saddlebag. “Yeesh, this is kinda heavy... What page was the teleportation stuff on again?”
“Two hundred and twenty three,” Twilight said. “Like I said, please do not try try to teleport yourself. I don’t think you’re ready to try such advanced magic yet, and I want to be there in case something goes wrong.”
Sweetie Belle lifted an eyebrow as she thought, What can go wrong? I’d just be teleporting myself between my room and Rarity’s bedroom. I can’t wait to show big sis how much better I’ve gotten at magic!
The sun had set long ago.
Rarity had retired for the night hours ago, a fact that Sweetie Belle was grateful for, for her big sister had nearly chewed her hide off for even thinking about practicing teleportation spells on her own. She was now even more determined to prove herself to her sister and Twilight.
Even though it was past midnight, Sweetie Belle was still wide awake, hunched over her desk. She’d already burned through two candles, and was halfway down on her third. Making a mental note to ask Rarity to go out and buy some more tomorrow, she rubbed her eyes and laid her head down on her desk, closing her weary eyes for just a few moments. She wanted nothing more than to go to bed, but her heart yearned to see if she was skilled enough, so with a deep breath, she re-read the same three pages one last time and took a step back.
The book instructed her to envelop her body with her magic, focus on the location where she wanted to teleport to, then steadily pump enough magic into the spell until it happened. She figured it sounded straightforward enough and that Twilight’s concerns were based on nothing. She was a big filly, almost a young mare at this point, and above all, she was a unicorn.
Figuring it would be fitting to teleport herself onto her bed, she took a couple of slow, deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She looked up at her warm, soft, and inviting bed across the room, barely ten feet away from her, then grinned, feeling like she was up to the task. Lighting her horn, she focused her magic on herself, giggling softly as it tickled her fur. A shiver ran down from the back of her head down to the base of her tail.
Picturing her bed in her mind, she pushed more magic into the spell. Hearing a faint humming, and not the distinct popping sound of teleportation, she pushed a little more magic into the spell. A couple of seconds passed with no results, and the outpouring of magic was starting to make her head hurt, a sign that she was already reaching her limits. Instead of giving up, she ground a hoof into the carpet and doubled down, pouring all of her magic into the spell as she possibly could.
The moon suddenly broke out from behind some clouds, its light streaming in through the window. Naturally, Sweetie Belle glanced over at the light, her thoughts momentarily shifting to the stars and how Luna is able to manipulate the moon.
Before she knew what was happening, her vision turned white. She felt hundreds of little pin pricks all over her body as a roaring sound, louder than she’d ever heard in her life, overwhelmed her senses. Sweetie Belle clenched her eyes shut as she struggled to kill the spell, but to no avail; she was along for the ride. She felt her energy fade away, used up to fuel the spell that she could no longer control, and right before it took her last little bit of life from her, she slammed into a cold, wet, and hard surface, knocking the air from her lungs.
Rain pelted her coat, stinging with each and every drop. Her vision was blurry, and her legs felt like jello. She forced her eyes open, finding herself on a rough sidewalk as she struggled to breathe. It was dark out, and a loud thunderclap scared the living daylights out of her. With her heart racing a million miles a second, she blearily lifted her head and looked around.
Large, ominous-looking buildings filled her vision. The distinct smell of rotting garbage filled her nostrils, making her muzzle scrunch up.
Sweetie Belle looked to her left and spotted a dark, empty alley. On shaking legs, she cautiously took a few steps into it, her ears flicked back as her eyes darted back and forth, looking for danger. Something growled behind her, making her glance over her shoulder, her chest heaving as her body went into fight or flight mode. Suddenly, something large and shiny sped past at the mouth of the alleyway, splashing water onto her. With her eyes going wide in fright, she bolted down the alley, praying to Celestia that the monster wouldn’t give chase and gobble her up. Tears streamed down her cheeks as the pavement bit into her soft, manicured hooves that Rarity herself had spent hours on just last night.
Sweetie Belle feared that she would never get to see her again.
Running behind an old, rusty dumpster, she screeched to a halt, absolutely drenched from the cold rain that would simply not relent. The smell of fresh food brushed against her nose, making her eyes go wide with a hopeful stare. She followed her nose, bumping up against a pair of metal cans. She wrapped a hoof around one of the handles and weakly yanked it down, spilling its contents out onto the wet pavement. “It’s... it’s trash?” Her bottom lip stuck out as she pouted, her ears flicking back in disappointment. Her stomach screamed for her grab what she could, but she had standards.
A unicorn simply does not eat from trash cans.
Spotting some empty cardboard boxes a little bit deeper into the alley, she trudged towards them, her head hung low. Her eyelids drooped down, and as she fought back the feeling of nausea, she curled up inside one of the boxes, propping her head up on her hooves. Happy to be out of the rain, she tried to light her horn to generate some light, but achieved nothing but a few small sparks.
Tears poured down her face before she passed out, much like the rain had been doing just moments ago.
“You call yourself a cook?!” Sweetie Belle woke up, startled from the loud, gruff voice that came from the other side of the dumpster. She pulled the flaps of the cardboard box closed, leaving just enough space for her to peek out of, ignoring the hunger pangs from her stomach as best as she could.
“Yeah, I do!” someone else said. “I’ve worked my butt off for you for the last two years; so what if someone complains that their food isn’t cooked right? I know what I’m doing!”
“Apparently you don’t! You’re fired!”
“W-What? You can’t fire me! I’m your head chef!”
“Not anymore!”
Sweetie Belle heard a heavy door slam shut, making her wince. Nothing but silence filled the alleyway, save for the sound of the rain hitting the pavement. A light sobbing graced her ears, making them flick up. She poked her head out from the box, curious who was crying, but her hoof hit an empty soda can.
“Who’s there?” The sobbing immediately stopped, replaced by a voice filled with fear, uncertainty, and a little strength. “I have pepper spray!”
Pepper spray? Why would anyone spray pepper at someone? That just sounds dumb. Sweetie Belle’s eyebrows furrowed at the thought, trying to figure out why they would use that as a threat. Maybe it’s like throwing sand in somepony’s eyes? Footsteps that came closer and closer wrenched her from her thoughts, making her close her eyes tight in fright. A pitiful whimper slipped past her lips as she clenched her tail in between her forelegs, her ears flicking back as the being stopped in front of her box.
“Did someone stuff a doll into this box or something?” the being asked herself, followed by a chuckle.
Sweetie Belle cracked her eyes open, her breaths coming in short and fast. She looked out of the small crack in between the flaps and realized that the front bit of her mane was sticking out in plain view for anyone to see. She recoiled out of instinct, pulling her mane back inside. The being outside made a lot of noise, making it sound like they nearly fell down.
“I must be seeing things...” they muttered. “Might as well check and see what’s in it... Got nothing else to do now...”
Sweetie Belle stared at the front of the box. Everything moved in slow motion; there was simply nothing she could do. The flaps of the box opened up, the pale light from a single light bulb illuminating the interior. She heard them gasp.
“There’s... There’s no way...”
Thoughts of being eaten by this strange being crossed her mind, but after several moments of silence, she licked her lips and hesitantly looked up, fearing the worst. A female knelt before her, their eyes locked with hers. They didn’t move for a full minute, but to her, it felt like an entire hour had passed.
“Hey there, little one...” they said, their voice soft and gentle. Gone was the fear and uncertainty, replaced with a reassuring tone full of love. “Now what would a little pony like you be hiding in a big city like this, hm? And who dyed your mane like that?”
Sweetie Belle cleared her throat and straightened out a little bit, placing her forelegs in front of her as she shivered from fear and the cold rain. “Um... that’s the mane I was born with. Nopony dyed it.”
“You... you can talk?” they asked rather dumbly.
“Y-Yeah...” Sweetie Belle coughed out, her throat feeling terribly dry. Her stomach was still horrendously empty, and she feared that she might get sick from being cold and wet if she was unable to get back to Equestria. “I’m Sweetie B-Belle. What’s your name?”
“Jenna.” She blinked a few times as she sat cross-legged on the ground. “This might be a stupid question, but... how can I understand you?”
A shiver ran down Sweetie Belle’s back as she coughed again. “No idea. How can I understand you?”
“No idea!” Jenna laughed, making Sweetie Belle crack a small smile in return. “So, uh... what are you doing here?”
Sweetie Belle’s ears flicked back. “I was practicing teleportation spells, and something went wrong... Where am I?”
“Teleportation spells? You’re a unicorn?!” Her jaw hung open wide as she stared at her little white horn. She cleared her throat, then said, “You’re in Chicago. That ring any bells?”
Dread filled Sweetie Belle’s heart. “N-No!” Fresh tears streamed down her face, for she had never once heard anypony mention such a place, not even in school, and they had studied both the major and minor cities of Equestria. “Have you ever heard of a place called Equestria?” she asked hopefully.
“I’m afraid not...” Jenna pursed her lips as she rubbed the back of her neck. “Say, you’re not looking too good,” she said, listening to Sweetie Belle cough up a lung. “My place is a few blocks down the road. You can crash with me for as long as you need to if you want.”
“R-Really? But it’s so scary out there! Some monster raced past me a while ago; I don’t wanna go out there!” She curled back up into a ball, keeping a slightly wary gaze on Jenna. She didn’t know if she could trust her yet, but she was certainly her only option at this point.
“Here, why don’t I carry you in my sweatshirt?” She unzipped it a little bit and held out her arms. “I’ll keep you safe, and nobody would see you. I’ve got some food I can cook for us back at my place, too!”
Sweetie Belle lifted her head up as she gazed into her eyes, wondering if she could trust this being. She had no idea if she had her best intentions at heart, but she knew in her heart that she had no other options at this point. “Um... okay...” she squeaked out, no small amount of nervousness in her voice. She stood up, pushing herself out of the box and into the warm, welcoming arms of her new friend. Sweetie Belle felt her hands wrap around her midriff, lifting her up and into her sweatshirt. An all-encompassing warmth surrounded her, the soft cotton brushing against her damp fur. She felt Jenna stand up and turn around, then heard the zipper close back up, sealing her in an absolute darkness.
Her eyes drifted shut as the slight swinging motion lulled her to sleep, and even though she couldn’t see a thing, she felt safe for the first time in many hours.
