Rex Unicornis

Chapters

Chapter 1, Dropping in for tea
Chapter 2, Hold Fast for Lessons
Chapter 3, Knowledge and Wisdom
Chapter 4, Long live the King
Prologue
Epilogue

Chapter 1, Dropping in for tea

Clover wrote “This was a dark age. Without law, and without harmony, ponies lived in fear of one another, for the strong preyed upon the weak. Every-pony forget the Lord and the commandments, and the words of Silver Light and the country grew unhappy because of it.”

The vision of her blurred and in its place a dark forest, and to Twilight a very familiar one. “The Everfree Forest?”

Star Swirl nodded.

In the gloom a wolf stood, not a Timberwolf, but still a dark and fierce creature.

A squeaking caught all attention. A young squirrel ventured out onto a branch. A brush of air alerted it. It scurried away. Just out of the talons of hawk.

The vision moved onward to a small clearing. No stumps or seedling tree of any kind stood in the round clearing. The trees just didn’t seem to want to grow any further in. In the middle stood a cottage, consisting of so many extensions and small refurbishments no-pony could tell where the original building stood in the architectural jumble. One thing stood out, the top half looked far more lived in then the ground floor.

Chains rattled, and every-pony turned to the well sitting a short distance away. Star Swirl chuckled.

At the well stood a young grey Unicorn, not any older than Sunburst, but the long white and grey streaked beard, lanky build and overly long horn told every-pony just who dragged the chain with his magic. Although, he didn’t have the elaborate stars and crescent covered cloak and pointy hat with bells on, he did wear a blue pointy hat, but with no brim. And without a cloak his hourglass cutie mark stood out. He put his hoof on the chain, slipping a couple of times.

Magnus glanced to Star Swirl “Even as a young stallion you had a floor length beard?”

“A sorcerer must have a long beard, at least back in my era it was part of the image.”

Twilight frowned confused “The Journal of the Two Sisters said your beard was brown when they met you?”

“I experimented with hair dyes.”

Deciding not to ask further she glanced at his cutie mark “I know your section of the library had a large hourglass on the central desk, but I didn’t think that was your cutie mark.”

“I’m very gifted in the manipulation of space-time.”

She turned to him “But, your time travel spell only allowed a pony to go back once and for a short amount of time, until Starlight improved it using the Map.”

Star Swirl looked away to the section with his name “Those are just the spells I wrote down, I have many more in my head.” His said head then darted to her “And no Sparkle, I’m not going to teach you them. Somethings in this world, are better left where they lie.”

Flash Sentry raised an eyebrow “If that were true you and the Pillars would still be in Limbo, the space between spaces.”

The sorcerer looked off slightly “The trouble is trying to figure out what should and should not be meddled with.”

Young Star Swirl of the vision slipped again and quickly gabbed the chain. His moustache frowned in annoyance “A dark age indeed!” He grumbled “An age of inconvenience,” the chain slipped again “No plumbing, no electricity.” He pulled the bucket up to the pulley and leaned forward to hook it with his horn “No nothing.” He slipped and fell went face first into the well. Thankfully he stood so close his body jammed on the stone ring.

“Oh, hang it all!” His shout echoed. He recovered and wiped the water from his face “Hang it all!” He put the bucket on his back and took a step forward, then he felt his hoof get tugged at “Now what?”, he looked back to find the chain looped around his hoof “Leave off! Leave off!” He wriggled his hoof and stumbled back and growled “You, you, you, fiendish chain you!” he kicked it and trudged to the stairs built on the outside of the hut mumbling to himself “Everything complicated, one big medieval mess!” He slammed the door.

Flash Magnus glanced to Star Swirl “I always wanted to ask, what is it with Unicorns and high places?”

Twilight waved her hoof “That’s just Steeplejack Arcology Syndrome.”

Sentry blinked and turned to her “Arco-what? I know about Steeplejack, he was the most famous church architect, he gave his name to the perilous profession of repairing high buildings with a lot of lightning strikes and scaffold collapses, but I didn’t know he had a syndrome named after him.”

Star Swirl nodded “It’s a nesting instinct, particularly those more magically inclined. Find a place to perform magic, preferably already with a strong background magic field to draw on, fortify it and build vertically, the higher the better. Think of wizard towers.”

Prince Flash nodded “Or tree shaped castles?”

Twilight blushed in embarrassment “All Unicorns have to an extent, I mean look at Carousel Boutique, Rarity’s living quarters are on the top floor. The current theory is the ancestors of the Unicorns got tired of the other tribal ancestors sneaking up and playing pranks on them.” As both Flashes glanced at their wings Twilight rolled her eyes “This was before Pegasi started living on clouds.”

Meanwhile the Young Star Swirl grumbled into this living space. Within the half-timbered and thatched attic, eclectically collected object, magical and not, sat scatter about and made it look like a Renaissance Man dropped all his models in a foundry and then got into a fight with a mad glassblower. Lamps and ring lay about looking to be rubbed, mirrors affording a second glance, a pair of pointed horseshoes stirred in a cage. A library’s worth of books in shelf or stacked like pillars, and most likely they all sat in the Star Swirl Section of the Archives in the present day. Scales and planetariums waiting to be used.

Young Star Swirl ignored them all and went to the brick hearth over the burning fire and poured the water into the kettle. Sighing with relief he brushed the fringe of his man under his hat. His magic pulled up his beard and from the inside he pulled out a pocket watch.

Princess and Prince blinked, and Twilight turned to the senior Star Swirl “I thought only Pinkie Pie did that?”, the sorcerer shrugged “It’s a useful place, most ponies don’t think of looking in it.”

The Young Star Swirl looked at the time “He should be here in, I’d say half-an-hour.”

From a birdhouse an owl jumped out onto the small branch perch. An owl with light blue and dark blue feather “Who?” it asked revealing a young, country accent, “Who?” She repeated “I’d like to know who?”

Young Star Swirl looked up at her “You’d better watch what you say Clover. And as I told you, I am not sure.” He walked around the table, cloth and tea set ready. He stood under a square section of thatch and lined his horn straight underneath it. Then with his magic he pulled a chair to sit under his chin “All I know is some-pony is coming, some-pony very important.”

Clover tutted and shook her head “Pony-feather.”

Star Swirl sat in the chair and pulled the table towards him. “Fate will direct him to me, so I may intern guide him to his rightful place in the world.”

Clover huffed and flew to the perch sitting on the table “And you say he will arrive in half-an-hour?” She crossed her wing and a smug grin crossed her face “We’ll just see.”

The vision paused and the elderly pony Clover at the desk faded in again as she continued to write “Now I imagine any-pony reading this will be questioning how come one of the six Founders of Equestria is an owl in this story, to answer that I’ll have to tell a bit of myself and about Witchcraft.”

Twilight blinked “Clover really was a Witch?”

She explained so. Clover as a Filly aspired to be a Witch, not the dark cackling type, she always saw the Craft in a different light.

She came from a mountain village tucked in a narrow valley between steep woods. Not a large village either, so it wouldn’t appear on a map of the mountain range, indeed it barely showed up on a map of the village itself. It seemed to be one of those places merely existing, so ponies can have come from there.

Early in her own self-taught lesson of the Witchcraft, she did Borrowing. A technique of placing your mind within another animal’s, not replacing its mind, nor are you controlling it, you are merely a passenger in the creature’s head, observing the world through its eyes and making thoughts to it, suggestion on what to do.

But, as a method of the Craft, it has a price. Usually this means waking up with animal like thoughts, such as, having Borrowed a bird, you think about not climbing out of bed, or walking down the stair, but flying out and down. Clover’s parents often needed to cover up her scabs.

There is a bigger price too. A body is like a jelly mould, the content forms to meet its shape. Spend too long in the animal’s mind and you begin to forget being separate, you forget ever being a pony. Too far gone, your mind evaporates, and you simply become a bunch of pony thoughts in the animal’s mind, and ones the animal tends to ignore. No-pony knows what happens after that.

Transfiguration spells work likewise, loose concentration, start thinking you are the animal you’ve turned your physical body into, your mind starts to become one of said animal, then you’re stuck as say an owl with the occasional pony thought and memories, but with the behaviour and dominated by owl thoughts. Clover got her cognomen of “the Clever” primarily out of her smarts to keep thinking of herself as pony but with her body transformed into an owl for so long after mucking up a spell, and eventually managing to reverse her mistake.

The narrative restarted as Star Swirl sat in a large armchair and took a pipe and matchbox from his beard. Lighting it he replied to her protegee’s bravado “And you will Clover, you will.” The match brunt him and he waved it out. As his hoof cooled from the singe he collapsed into the chair and focused on his second sight and third thoughts “He’ll be a, a colt, small Unicorn colt, eleven, twelve years old.”

The smoke covered the scene and greyscale images of the open fields materialised within the wisps. Star Swirl continued as a figure walked out “And a, scrawny little feller.” He started chuckling, but stopped as the figure can nearer, tall, thickly muscle with a short horn.

“Oh no, no, no, that can’t be the one. Surely not, why that big lad must be close onto twenty, near to my age.” He said as the stallion casually climbed over a drystone wall.

As soon as he left the vision another pony appeared. A smaller and thin colt with a longer than average horn.

Star Swirl started laughing “Ah ha, there he his, ha, ha.” The colt started playfully leaping about the fallen rock and hurdle jumped over the wall “He’s a regular little grasshopper, ha, look at him go.”

Clover fanned the smoke out of the way and coughed her irritation “And where, where oh where, would you guess he is this very moment?”

Huffing Star Swirl snapped back “I am not guessing Clover, I know where he is!” He slammed his hooves on the rests, before place one on his forehead and shutting his eyes “Less than a mile from here, just beyond the forest, and right on schedule.” Before hastily adding “If all goes well.”

Clover huffed herself “It that uncertainty that got you kicked out of Hogwash’s.”

The cottage workshop disappeared and got replaced by the crest of a hillock. The young adult stallion stood under and aged tree scouting the area. His coat a murky brown with an equally murky green mane.

Behind him the youthful colt started climbing the old tree. Brown coated with a two-tone mane of yellow and strawberry blond. The tree creaked under his weight.

The elder glanced up “Quiet Wart.” He whispered.

“I’m trying to be.”

“No-pony asked you to come along in the first place.”

“I’m not even moving.”

“Shut up.” He looked to the left and smiled “Ah, here we go.”

A deer walked out of the forest.

With his magic, the older stallion pulled out a bow and arrow “What a set up. Right smack through the old gizzard!”

Wart looked up. The tree groaned. Bow went tight. Arrow shook.

CRACK!

Wart wailed. Fell onto the stallion. Arrow flew high over the canopy. The deer ran off.

The elder stallion threw Wart off “Why you, clumsy little fool!” he swung his bow like a sword. Wart jumped out the way. Ran ahead of the swipes “August, please, I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it!” he jumped over a log.

August came running “If I ever…” he tripped over the log.

Wart ran to the forest.

August called getting up “If I ever get my hooves on you, I’ll wring your scrawny little neck! So, help me I will!”

The young colt ran in deeper and hide behind an old tree inside “I’ll get the arrow August,” he called back “I’m sure I can find it.”

August stopped just before the entrance and splutter a laugh “Don’t tell me you going in there? Everfree? Why it’s swarming with wolves. Flesh and Timber.”

Wart stood up as tall as possible “I’m not afraid.”

August scoffed “Well go ahead, it’s you skin not mine. Go on, go on!” He walked off.

Wart ran further into the woods.

Observing the visions, Flash Sentry gritted his teeth “He’d get a lot of years for that.”

Magnus looked ready to pounce “I’d knock a few teeth out first.”

Star Swirl glanced at Magnus “I’d expect better behaviour from a Pillar Magnus. But yes, August’s behaviour gave me a dim view of him throughout these events.”

Twilight remained quiet as she watch Wart, ‘Surely he must have different name.’ she thought, galloped along the root riddled pathway. He jumped over a little stream. The noise of his shuffling alerted a lone Timberwolf drawing water from the stream. It looked up and, purely curious, observed the newcomer stumbled on a tree root.

He gave a huff and returned to the water. When a, something, no-pony could quite tell, but they knew it to be there, brought the wooden canine’s attention back to the colt, and low, and persuasive voice spoke from all directions “If, they, think this child is the one, well, let’s play their game.” The voice addressed the wolf “It’s been ages since your last hunt, don’t you want to enjoy it, take you time, even if he makes it to the sorcerer, he still has a long way to go.”

The Timberwolf thought about it. It agreed, this strange newcomer looked like fun. It jumped the stream and stalked up.

Watching the vision Twilight shivered, she inched to her husband “Flash?” she whispered, “I haven’t felt like that since you told me about Lucifer.”, he nodded “I felt it too.”

Wart pushed a branch away. It knocked into the Timber, a few twigs flew off.

The colt entered a clearing and looked about, noticing a house and a well. Then up to a tree, and smiled, he spied the arrow embedded in a branch. He trotted up to the tree closest tree and start climbing it.

Timberwolf entered the clearing and winced at the magic. He kept to the edge and follow around to the tree the colt climbed. The stepped on a branch. It snapped. He grabbed the one above him and hung. The branch bounced onto Timberwolf and merged with him.

Oblivious to the predator Wart shimmed along a branch, slowly moving closer to the cottage. The Timberwolf growled having to stay back, something prevented him. Wart reached the ended and leaned out to the arrow. Hoof inching closer.

SNAP! Went the branch under him. Down went the colt. He hit something, but crashed through it, getting grazed. His plot landed on something wooden. Dust filled the air.

Young Star Swirl made a small wind spell and chuckled “Well, so you did drop in for tea after all.” He magically pulled out his watch and checked it “Oh,” he frowned “you are a bit late, you know.” He got up to get the kettle.

The colt looked about a bit confused and embarrassed “Oh? I am?” he looked about the house he ended up in. Noticing the set table. He to the intricate and repetitively fascinating series of glass pipes and beakers contorting in a complex labyrinth. A green bubbling liquid forever swirled around as if trying to find a way out. Unfortunately for the desired effect of awe and wonderment, the colt’s familiarity with the castle kitchen meant he identified the liquid as merely green dye with some added soap.

Star Swirl meanwhile took the teapot in his magic “Yes, but that’s no real problem. Now, my name is Star Swirl.” As he poured the hot water he glanced back “Now come, come, who are you my lad?”

“Oh, my name’s Bullion, but every-pony calls my Wart.”

The Young Star Swirl, Princess Twilight and Prince Flash noticed the nonchalant way the colt said it.

The now identified Bullion glanced to Clover and smiled fascinated “What prefect stuffed owl.”

Clover’s feathers fluffed as she shouted and flapped in disapproval “Stuffed! I beg your pardon!”

Bullion blinked and smiled openly “She’s alive, and she talks!”

Clover scowled “And certainly a great better deal than you do.” She took off from the perch to her birdhouse.

Star Swirl sighed “Oh, come Clover, come, come. I want you to meet Master Bullion.” He motioned the colt over and gave him a cup and saucer. Patting him on the back, Star Swirl continued “You must forgive him, he’s only a colt.”

Clover’s head appear out of the hole and looked in every direction, expect Bullion’s “Colt?” She sarcastically said, “I see no colt.” Her talon grabbed the handle and dragged it into her little private space.

Bullion put the saucer on the table and sighed “I’m sorry that I…”

Star Swirl patted him on the shoulder and said under his breath “That’s alright,” he chuckled “after her accident with a transfiguration spell she’s become much too sensitive.”

“Sensitive?” Clover called over “Me?”

Star Swirl merely chuckled. He poured the tea on Bullion’s side as the colt sat back down, the young pony asked, “How did you know that I was…”

“Oh? That you would be dropping in?” He stood on his hind legs and pointed to himself “I happen to be a wizard.” Then he noticed he spilled tea down his beard and put the pot down, before failing his forelegs out wide “A soothsayer! A prognosticator! I have the power to see into the future, centuries into future!” He calmed down with a chuckle “I’ve even been there lad.”

Twilight turned to the elderly Star Swirl “Only briefly here and there. Much of what Equestria is today came as a real shock.”

His younger self pointed to several models and drawings collected a table “And I’ve seen all these things. These things here are only plans and models of the real things of course.” With his magic he levitated one and poured hot water from the kettle into it “This for instance is a Steam Locomotive.” He put it down on the table pushed it. The model started to move by itself ejecting steam.

Bullion observed Star Swirl’s performance and the presentation of the model with wonder. Presently the model hit the cup and stopped. He picked it up and turned it around to watch it retreat and slowly run out of steam.

Star Swirl then put it back in it place “That won’t be invented for hundreds of years!”

“Wow! You mean you can see everything before it happens?”

“Yes!” He smiled with a large nod “Everything!”

Clover called over “Really? Everything Star Swirl?”

Star Swirl grumbled and shook his head “No, not everything.” He blurted out indigently, he glanced back to a stunned Bullion, “I admit I didn’t know whom to expect for tea.” He smiled and look up at the hole in the roof “But as you can see,” he chuckled “I figured the exact place.” Pointing his horn downwards he hit Bullion on the head.

Rubbing his hoof on the sore spot he smiled up at the wizard “You’re very clever sir.”

“Yes,” Star Swirl beamed before blinking and shaking his head “well, never mind the sir, just plain Star Swirl will do. Would you care for sugar?”

“Oh yes I would, please.”

Star Swirl smiled at the magic word and clapped his hoof “Alright, sugar! Sugar?”

The sugar bowl jumped, one of its handles detached and grabbed to nearby teaspoon.

Twilight suddenly got flashback to the tea with Discord soon after they freed him.

It then hopped to Star Swirl, but the wizard reprimanded it “Manners, manners, guests first, you know that!”

With a flip of its lid the pot quickly skipped the length of the table and quickly scooped the grains into the colt’s cup.

“Say when.” Star Swirl said.

After the fifth spoonful, Bullion said “When.”, the bowl jump and returned to Star Swirl.

Meanwhile the wizard went to one of the many bookcases and picked out a few books “Have you had any schooling?”

Half-way through a biscuit Bullion nodded “Oh yes,” he jammed the other half into his already full mouth “I’m training to be a squire. I’m learning the rules of combat, and swordsmanship, and jousting and the Xenophon Art.”

Taking out another book Star Swirl nodded “Oh yes, I see, very good.” Then he blinked and realised what the colt meant “Oh no! No,” he trudged back to the table and began lecturing “I mean a real education, mathematics, history, biology, physics, chemistry, the languages.” He glanced down to the sugar bowl, which during this time, scooped a small mountain of sugar into the cup.

Star Swirl stopped his listing and blustered to piece “No, when! When! When! Blast it all WHEN!”

The sugar bowl jumped and scurried back to hide behind the teapot.

Star Swirl wiped the sugar away with his beard “Impudent piece of crockery.” He took a breath and address Bullion calmly “Lad,” he put the books down and lowered himself “you can’t…” he paused to look at empty space. Glancing up he charged his horn and the armchair waddled up behind him. He sat down and continued “You can’t grow up without a descent education.”

Bullion listened while experimenting with sugar bowl, and getting wacked with a spoon. “Oh, I suppose not sir, uh, Star Swirl.”

“So,” Star Swirl said opening one of the large tomes “I am going to be your tutor.”

Bullion blinked and jumped out of his chair “But I’ve got to get back to the castle!” he grabbed another biscuit “They’ll want me in the kitchen!”

Star Swirl got up and grabbed a nearby carpet bag “Very well, we’ll pack and be on our way.” He glanced back as Bullion reached the door “You watch this lad, you’ll like this.”

He opened the bag and scaled a stool. He took a breath and charged his horn, he spiralling his head around chanting “Higitus Figitus Zumbabazing.” He pushed his bread out of the way before rearing up and looking around the room “I want your attention everything!”, suddenly as commanded every object in the room turned to look at him. Bullion jumped at the skull of, something, right by his head.

“We’re packing to leave,” Star Swirl explained “come let’s go.”, on the sugar pot eagerly started hoping across the table toward the carpet bag, Swirl glared it “No, no not you. Book are always first you know.”

This made Twilight giggle.

Star Swirl start to sway his horn about and the books, on the shelf or staked in piles started flying and formed a line towards the bag as the wizard performed his spell “Hockety pockety wockety wack. Abracabra dabra nack. Shrink in size very small. We’ve got to save enough room for all. Higitus Figitus migitus mum. Prestidigitonium.”

Clover stood on a pile which start collapsing under her talons.

When the last of the books finished joining the line the crockery started flying off the table. The teapot knocked the lid off the sugar bowl. Bullion took it interested, then the pot came back and yanked it from his hooves. Speeding to the front the sugar pot wacked it spoon into the saucers and the teapot. Star Swirl caught this and paused the spell, causing a mid-air traffic jam. He galloped over and glared at the pot “See here sugar bowl you’re getting rough. That poor old tea set is crack enough.” He huffed and trotted back to the bag “Now alright let’s start again, uh let’s start a… oh, uh where was I lad?”

“Um, Hockety pockety?”

“Oh yes, yes, that’s right.” He charged his horn again and started become more animated despite his old age, thus making the spell work at a faster pace “Hockety pockety wockety wack. Odds and ends and bric-a-brac. Be with you in a moment son, packing’s almost done!”

Clover found it hard to flying with so many obstacles in her flight path. She went into her birdhouse to wait it out, until it joined the flow and began shrinking, she got out just in time and yelled at Star Swirl “You, bungling blockhead!”

Some of the large things in the room like the table, chairs, bed and even the fireplace start crowding around the wizards “Hey! Easy there! Yes you, go ahead. This is the best part now. Higitus Figitus migitus mum. Prestidigitonium. Higitus Figitus migitus mum. Prestidigitonium!” He almost shrieked the last part as the stool he stood on flew out from under his hooves cause him to fall over as the carpet bag snapped shut. Packing, done. He got up laughing triumphantly, which now echoed in the empty and cavernous room.

Bullion stared “What a way to pack!”

Star Swirl floated the bag onto his back “Well, now just a minute lad, how else would you get all this stuff into one suitcase? I’d like to know.”

On one of the attic beams Clover rolled her eyes.

Bullion then surprised her by proclaiming “I think it’s wonderful!”

Twilight smirked and turned to the beaming Senior Star Swirl “Unorthodox method I admit, but it would definitely if Rarity brings two dozen suitcases with her when we go somewhere. Hopefully Moonlight’s helped her further with losing that habit. Though I think Sunburst needs to learn it to.”

Flash Sentry nodded “That spell could also revolutionise the trade industries, tons of goods could be transported in a single crate or barrel.”, Twilight turned to him with a wide grin “Aw, you’re thinking smart Flash, I knew you had it in you.”, her husband blushed while Flash Magnus laughed.

The vision meanwhile played on.

As they clambered down the outside stairs Star Swirl turned to Bullion and addressed him sternly and pointed at the colt’s horn “Don’t you get any foolish ideas that magic will solve all your problems, because it won’t.”

“But sir, I don’t have any problems.”

“Oh par,” Star Swirl said reaching for the door “every-pony’s got problems, the world is full of problems.” He shut the door and locked it. As he turned his head jerks back and he found his beard stuck. “Oh, blast it all.” He put a hoof to the wall and levered himself out “There! You see what I mean.” His beard came out and wrapped around his head. He unwound himself and brushed the beard down, he glanced at a sniggering Bullion, “See, that’s the trouble with the world today.” He started trotting off and the other two followed the ranting wizard “Every-pony butting their heads against a brick wall, all muscle and no mentality!” He didn’t turn back but spoke to Bullion “Do you want to be all muscle and no brain?”

“I don’t have any muscle.”

Star Swirl stopped and glared at him “You don’t? Then how do you move about?”

“Well, I suppose I do have a little.”

The wizard nodded “There you see. That’s enough, now develop your brain, knowledge, wisdom, there’s the real power. Higher learning! That’s the thing.” They jumped a very narrow gorge and scrambled down a short cliff to a river, Star Swirl continuing as they went “So, first thing tomorrow morning we’ll start a full schedule. Eight hours a day.” He started jumping skipping stones “We’ll have six hours from schoolroom, a two for study period.”

Bullion stumbled behind him “But I don’t have the time! I have Page duties.”

“Page duties? Ha!” He started trudging up a hill “We’ll change all that. There’s got to be a shake up!”

Unsure Bullion simply agreed.

Star Swirl glanced back at him “How do you expect to amount to anything without an education? I’d like to know. Even in these bungling backward Medieval times you have got to know where you are going. Don’t you?” They reached the top.

“Yes sir.”

“Yes, so you must plan for the future lad. You’ve got to find a direction. And you…” he paused and glanced at the colt “Now by the by, what direction is that castle of yours?”

Bullion looked to the setting sun “I think it’s north.” He pointed back “The other way.”

“Oh!” he grumbled as Clover, perched on the tip of his hat started snickering. “Right we’d better get a move on, come on.”

As the two ran around the crest and started back down. The Timberwolf, crawled up to the top. Then saw them leaving. He fainted.

The ominous voice spoke again “It’s alright. I can think of other ways of changing the direction of things.”

The visions turned black as Twilight shivered again.

Star Swirl and Flash Magnus stood up. The wizard spoke first “I won’t fault Clover on accuracy, maybe she embellished somethings here and there. But, seeing that again jogged my memory. However, I don’t feel it necessary to relive these events.”

Magnus nodded “And I’m getting bored sitting in one place. I’ll see you later.” And the pair walked away.

Chapter 2, Hold Fast for Lessons

Clover wrote on “Now, the Castle forever known as The Castle of the Two Sisters, was originally the home of a simple knight named Hold Fast, he built it as a hunter lodge of sorts. Later, we rebuilt it into the more recognisable one the Royal Sisters live in.”

Twilight blinked “Wow, I would have never guessed. I thought the castle was built specifically for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”

Night came down on the land.

In the great hall of the castle a middle-aged Unicorn, who by his figure and facial hair, looked like a walrus transformed into a pony, paced about the hall grumbling “The Devil take it! Any-ponies got better sense then to go barging off into that infernal forest alone.” He trudged back to the table where August sat craving a plate of meat, Hold Fast glared at him “You had no business letting him go.”

“Look, Dad, I’m not the Wart’s keeper.” He put the plate down and a pair of dogs hounded the meat.

Hold Fast shouted over the barks “Well blast it all! I am! After all I took him in. Felt as a Silver Enlightened fellow and a knight, it was duty to take care of some-pony who couldn’t do it themselves. Adopted the lad you might say, being his foster father, well I’m responsible for him.”

The dogs barked excitedly and rushed passed the pair to the hall entrance. Hold Fast looked as they pounced onto the Wart and licked his face. A new pony, dressed in blue with a pointy hat poked his head through the archway. But Hold Fast didn’t address the guest at first. He galloped over and took the dogs by their collar “Tiger! Talbert! Off with you!”

The Wart wiped his face. Hold Fast glared down at him “Now look here Wart, what’s the idea of gallivanting off into the woods and worrying the living daylights out of every-pony?”

“I’m sorry sir.”

“Well, sorry isn’t enough. That’s four demerits, four hours extra kitchen duty.” He sniffed “Report to the cook!”

“But sir, I’d like you to meet…”

“Go on hop it colt!” he watched the lad run across the hall and down the stairs to the kitchens. Hold Fast spoke out, mostly to himself, but like all authority figures who rarely listen to anyone but themselves, he spoke with volume. “Yes, you’ve got keep a tight schedule to run a big place like this. Need strict rules, especially for young colts.”

The owl on the stranger’s hat started talked “I can agree with that.”

Instead of asking the most obvious question of why an owl talked, because you never knew what lived in the Everfree Forest, a talking owl seemed tame compared to the stuff he usually encountered on hunts, Hold Fast put his face into the strangers’ full view and bellowed “And who are you?”

The one in blue cleared his throat “My name is Star Swirl. And this is Clover, she’s a Witch.”

Hold Fast burst out laughing “An owl as a witch? Ha, that’s a good one.”

Clover huffed and flew up to the antlers of a stag hanging high on the wall.

The Knight looked to Star Swirl “Say, I know, you’ve got it under a spell Star Squall. You’re a magician.”

“The name is Star Swirl, and yes she is under a spell, but of her own creation gone wrong, she is a witch. And I happen to by the world’s most powerful wizard!”

Hold Fast burst out laughing again “Come of it! Gad-Zukes!”

“Alright then. I shall demonstrate.” He charged his horn “Higitus Figitus, Migitus Mo! Wind and snow, swirl and blow!”

A cold wind spiralled around Hold Fast and snow started to fall and cover him from hoof to mane “What the Devil are you up to?”

Star Swirl chuckled “That is what I call a Wizard Blizzard.”

Every-pony outside the visions of the events, even the elderly Clover at the desk, shook their heads at the terrible pun.

Hold Fast shook but smiled “August, would you look at this. An indoor blizzard! And in the 18th month of the year, very middle of summer!”

August took a slice of pie “So what?”

“Alright Spiral, turn it off.” He shuddered “I’m convinced.”

“Alakazam!” Star Swirl shouted and the snow started melting. Hold Fast shook the last bits off, which quickly evaporated “I, I hope you don’t go in for any of that, black magic?”

Star Swirl held his hoof up and shook his head “Oh no, never touched the stuff. My magic now is mainly used for educational and study proposes.” He tried to sit down but stopped. He waved his hoof and his carpet bag bounced up to act as a seat. “In fact, that is why I am here. I have come to educate young Bullion.”

Hold Fast’s expression steeled and he pushed himself into Star Swirl’s face “Oh no you don’t. I’m running this place. If you think you’re going to fiddle with my schedule you’d better pack up your bag of tricks and be gone!”

Star Swirl disappeared in a flash of magic.

Hold Fast flinched and looked about “Well by God! August, he gone.”

“Good ridden.”

A voice echoed through the hall “I’m gone, and yet I’m not gone.”, Hold Fast flinched as the wizard spoke” So, if I do leave,” he said as Hold Fast checked inside the carpet bag “you can never be sure I am gone. Can you?”

The knight scratched “Well, uh, I must say, you’ve got me on that point Stairwell. Ha, you win, you’re welcome to stay if you like.”

“Thank you.” Said a voice beside him. Hold Fast jumped and turned to find the wizard at his side “You’re very kind.” Although his expression said otherwise “Very generous I must say.”

“Well, all we can offer is room and board, hard times you know Star Squall, we’ll put you up in the Northwest Tower, that’s the guest room, I know how you wizards have a head for heights.” He escorted the wizard and the owl out into the courtyard and pointed to a tall tower, held up by scaffolding, and bent slightly. “It has a draft in the winter, but in this blazing hot weather it’s the best room in the castle.”

Star Swirl sniffed “Oh yes, very lovely.”

Hold Fast smiled slyly “So just make yourself at home Spiral.”

Star Swirl started climbing the stairs and grumbled “Squall, Spiral, Stairwell. Will he ever get my name correct?”

Hold Fast chuckled and turned back. He would need to speak with the local Pegasi.

The vision changed to the tower in a freak rainstorm.

From the holes in the roof several umbrellas sprouted.

Star Swirl opened another one before climbing down the bric-a-brac. “Best room in the house. Ha!” he grumbled as he tipped his telescope up, so the rain water would collect in a vase. He then emptied a full bucket, the water spilled onto one of the few areas of open space. “Guest room! Unwelcome guest room more like it!” He picked a large urn, wiped the water off the globe and book with his beard and put the urn down on the spot “But if he thinks he can get rid of me, I’ve got news for that only walrus! I’m sticking it out!”

From her birdhouse Clover called down “And I say we go back to the forest. Your meddling Star Swirl, when a magic user meddles it ends in trouble. There’s millions of reasons why magic and meddling don’t mix, their called Witches and Wizards.”

“No, not on your life.” Star Swirl levitated the sugar pot onto a tall stack of books and took the lid off. As he turned away the pot flinched. Spooned the water out of itself and slammed its lid back into place.

Star Swirl continued “That boy has got to have an education, he has a future, I can tell.”

“Well,” Clover said with a sly giggle “You may be right.” She stepped onto the perch “A skinny kid like that would make a wonderful chimney sweep.” She laughed. Then a puddle of water fell through the roof and soaked her.

Star Swirl laughed himself “Something tells me your all wet Clover.”

From outside a horn blew, the Sorcerer walked over to the hole in the wall which could be used as a window and looked down to the gatehouse. Another thinner Unicorn stood at the other end of the moat and blew the horn again.

A guard peered over “Who goes there?”

“It’s Listener, Reverend Listener dash it all, I’ve got big news from Canterlot!”

The guard pulled at the lever and the drawbridge fell. The thud caused the Northwest Tower to shake slightly.

Star Swirl gipped the stronger looking masonry “Oh, big news? They can’t wait for the Equestria Daily, the first edition won’t be out for at least,” he took his watch out of his beard “nine-hundred years.” He walked over the birdhouse “Clover, would you mind flying down there and…”

“No! I’m not interested.”

“Oh, come now, your as wet as you’ll ever going to be already.”

“No!”

“Clover! I’ll make that spell of your permanent!”

“You said you couldn’t alert the spell.”

“I said I couldn’t fix it. It’s your spell, only you can fix it. I can however add onto the spell. Do you want to remain and owl forever?”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“I will! Or so help me I will! A student is supposed to do as their teacher instructs!”

“Alright!” She stepped out and spread her wings “But under protest.” She flew out the window. Star Swirl chuckled “Alright works every time. It’s like magic.”

The elderly Clover paused and wrote “That’s because it is magic. Witchcraft. Like psychology, but many witches think psychology is a bad word, or that it means having a psychological problem. It called Headology, it relies on what people think and what they believe, and about perspective. A witch can change a pony’s perspective on reality, like hypnosis, to save on using magical energy. For example, it’s far easier to make a pony think they’ve been turned into a frog then actually turn them into one.”

The owl Clover flew down and into the Great Hall. She landed on an antler just as the doors opened.

The thin Unicorn referred to as Reverend Listener walked in and took his cloak off.

Hold Fast jumped up and proclaimed “Reverend!” he ran up and hugged the Unicorn “Greetings old boy, have a drink!”

“Thank you, I don’t mind if I do.”, Bullion passed a goblet over. The Silver Enlightened priest took it with a graceful nodded and took a sip, then wiped his bushy moustache “Just the thing to warm myself up on a rainy night.”

Hold Fast sat down “So, what’s all the noise about Canterlot?”

“Big news, really big news.”

“Sit down and let’s hear it.”

He sat down “They’re having a big tournament on New Year’s Day.”, before the Summer Sun Celebration, Unicorns and Earth Ponies shared certain events on their calendar, New Year’s Day in this instance is the first day after the winter solstice.

Hold Fast rolled his eyes and shank into his chair “That’s not news, dash it all. The Magisters always do.”

“But, Hold Fast,” Listener continued “here’s where all the excitement comes in.” He leaned in as Hold Fast took a long swig of his wine “To the victor of this year’s tournament, goes the Crown!”

Hold Fast gulped, spat and spluttered. Half drunk wine spilled down the Reverend’s face.

Bullion rushed over and gave the priest a cloth. Listener smiled, nodded his thanks and wiped his face.

Hold Fast meanwhile, managed to stop his coughing fit “You mean the winner will be King of the Unicorns?”

Listener took his goblet, stood up and raised it high “King of all Unicorns.”, some wine split onto his face.

Hold Fast turned to his lounging son “August lad! Did you here that?”

August chuckled “Pretty fair prize I’d say.”

Hold Fast stood and steeled his expression “Yes, and you could win it my boy, if you focused on your training.” He patted him on the back “We’ll have you knighted by the Festival of Lights,”, a, in the modern day, forgotten Unicorn holiday “and off to Canterlot! What do you say?”

“Sure. Why not?”

“That’s the spirit!” Hold Fast turned the Bullion, the page carried a load of plates, pans and bowls on his back “Wart lad? How would you like you go to Canterlot?”

“Oh, Sir Hold Fast, you really mean it?”

“If you stick to your duties, you can be August’s squire.”

“Oh, I will sir, I will.” He turned to the stairs paused looked down. Took the first step down. A plate fell off his back, his hoof hit it and he tripped down the stairs.

Listener looked up concerned. Hold Fast laughed. August sneered “I don’t want the Wart for my squire.”

Bullion stood up and started recollecting the crockery. Listener nodded and grabbed his goblet. Hold Fast called a toast “Here’s to Canterlot. And here’s to August. And here’s to the banner of the Castle of the Everfree Forest!”

Clover having heard enough flew back to the Northwest Tower to relay the news to Star Swirl.

Dawn came, the rain long gone and the sun’s warmth drying the castle, a cockerel called out its morning call.

“Charge!” and the brief peace of the morning broke.

August charged across the yard in armour, a lance and strapped to either side. He headed for a dummy of an opposing knight, a mechanical dummy behind cranked by Bullion.

Hold Fast continued his orders “Weight forward! Lean into it! Steady boy! Steady! Steady with the lance!”

August ran into the padded end of the dummy lance. It bent. Caught his chin. The dummy leaned back. The lance straightened. Catapulting August into the base of the Northwest Tower.

The tower shook violently, but miraculously stayed up. Hold Fast called up “Heads up!”

Star Swirl groggily, though speedily, raised himself up from his bed, blinking he mumbled “Ah, Cl-Clover? What, what going on? Where are we?”

Clover jumped out of her birdhouse, which in the shaking fell from its place on the wall. She grumbled as she shook herself “In a tumbledown old tower, in the most miserable castle in the entire Silver Enlightened world! That’s where.”

Star Swirl scratched a hoof over his mane “Castle?”

Clover fell over to the bedpost “Don’t you even remember the boy?”

“Boy?” he asked as he yawned.

An angry voice echoed “Can’t you remember one blasted thing?”

Star Swirl steeled and turned to Clover “Oh now just a minute, is that any way to talk to your teacher?”

Clover said nothing, but the voice continued “Tight grip on the lance…”

“Oh.” The Sorcerer said and he got out of bed and walked to the window, Clover grabbed her secondary perch and flew beside him.

Down in the caught yard Sir Hold Fast and Reverend Listener lectured a battered August, well, Sir Hold Fast did as the Reverend bushed and straightened the larger dents of August’s helmet.

“Knees in tight, weight forward and stay on target. And you keep losing your grip”, he slapped August on the back. The twenty-year-old wined and looked at his father annoyed.

Listener walked up “It’s not a mere matter of muscle son, jousting is a fine skill, it’s a highly developed science.” He gave the helmet over.

Star Swirl scoffed “Science indeed. One dummy trying to knock off another dummy with a bit of a stick.”

Clover nodded “And the Wart’s just as hot for it as the rest of them.”

Star Swirl watched as Bullion scurried about getting another lance for the dummy. He straightened it and turned the helmet the right way around.

“He certainly is, that colt has got real spark, lots of spirit, puts his heart and soul into everything he does. That’s worth something, if only it can be turned in the right direction.”

Clover laughed “Fat chance of that.”

“Oh, I plan to cheat of course, use magic. Every trick in the trade if I have to.”

Clover looked up to the sky and sighed before mumbling “I can tell this isn’t going to end well.”

Star Swirl took his hat and went down the stairs. Bullion finished his repair on the dummy and the Sorcerer taped his shoulder, the colt smiled “Oh, hello Star Swirl sir.”

“Good morning my boy,” he glanced to Sir Hold Fast and the others as they mucked about this August’s armour “I think they might take some time to sort themselves out. How about you and I go from a little walk.”

“Well,” Bullion said, “I could do with stretch my legs a bit.”

“Good boy. Come on now.” And he walked to the gate, Bullion scurried after.

Soon they walked by the mote, Bullion picked up a stick with his magic and started to wave it about like the sword “I’d do anything to go charging about, slaying Hydras, Dragons and Griffins, I’ve heard about these things called Sirens.”

Star Swirl chuckled “Well, Dragons and Griffins are not so bad, it’s more on an individual basis, some are very nice, others can be unpleasant at times and some are downright monstrous, you should learn both sides of the story, maybe the Dragon has a good reason for taking all the gems or making a lot of smoke. It could be it’s a nice dragon who just made a mistake.”

Bullion stopped “I know dragons can speak, ever since the Dragon Lord, Smog, but, well, huh, I guess I’ve never seen it like that, no-ponies ever thought it like that.”

“And that’s the point young Bullion, think before you act.” He laughed “And whose to say you won’t become a hero?”

“Well, you see, I’m an orphan, and a knight must be of proper birth. I only hope I’m worthy enough to be August’s squire, that’s a big job too you know.”

“Yes, I’d almost say impossible. But consider this, just because you’re an orphan doesn’t mean your not of proper birth.”

“I’ve thought of that, but Sir Hold Fast doesn’t know who left me in his care. So, no-pony knows if I’m proper birth or not.”

“Then how is it you got such a fancy name as Bullion?”

“One of Sir Hold Fast’s knight friends said my coat shone like a precious metal.”

“I see, well.” He cleared his throat “Now lad…”

The elderly Clover reappeared, “Out of my respect of old Star Swirl and my, dislike of Transfiguration Spells, I’ll skip these first couple of lessons he did over the course of the day. He put Bullion in some awkward positions. Not to mention got him into deep trouble with Sir Hold Fast, after the first one, which involved my saving his life, Bullion got six demerits, three for being late returning to August’s training, and three more for his explanation of the lesson.”

She dipped her quill in the ink and continued “As he started working cleaning in the kitchen Star Swirl came into the escort the boy off on the other lesson. But with all the pots and pans to be cleaned, well, they couldn’t be left. So, Star Swirl, in his, wisdom, decided to use magic and made a cleaning assembly line, whatever that is.”

She paused and went to her drew. She pulled out a small portrait.

“On our journey to the White Tall Woods we passed a party of passing nobles. Sir Crash, who Bullion recognised as the one to contribute to his name, having been a guest to Sir Hold Fast when the infant colt appeared at the castle’s metaphorical doorstep, and Sir Crash’s ward, a young noble unicorn filly, White Enchantress. I noticed their eyes met, and they didn’t look away until they couldn’t see each other anymore. I filed that as something to mention later. Love is a tricky thing, I’d say it’s one of the most powerful forces in the world, and must be treat with care.”

Twilight nodded, having seen Queen Chrysalis and his Changelings blasted from Canterlot all the way to the Badlands by the love of Cadence and Shining Armour, it seemed on par with Friendship, hence why Cadence is an Alicorn Princess, she embodied and wielded the Magic of Love, although she remembered Cadence being perhaps a little reckless with her powers as a teenage filly. Both Love and Friendship must be powerful to stand next to, although probably below, the magic with kept the Sun and Moon in the sky and in orbit.

“The next lesson didn’t accomplish much, but the return to the Castle, and the kitchen made a real impact on things.”

The cook screamed as she ran up the stairs, a legion of bubbles following her. “Sir Hold Fast!”

Said knight spared with August.

“Sir Hold Fast, the kitchen.”

“Hold it son.” The Knight turned around to speak. Only for August to knock his helmet off “August! Hold I said.”, he bashed his sword into August’s helmet, knocking the twenty-year-old to the ground and denting the helmet again. Sir Hold Fast nodded with a grunt, then he returned to the cook “Now then, what’s all the commotion?”

“The kitchen! It’s under an evil spell!”

Reverend Listener ran up “Evil spell?”

“It’s bewitched!”

Sir Hold Fast turned angry “I bet it’s that goat, Spiral.”

The Reverend took out his book and crucifix “You didn’t tell me you had unpleasant guests.”

“Calls himself a Sorcerer, no good wizard pocking is horn in things that don’t concern him.” He turned to August “Come on son, I knew he would give us trouble.” The three of them rushed down into the kitchen. Sir Hold Fast stopped at the bottom. Reverend Listener almost ran into him. The knight exclaimed “Good heavens!”

The pots, pans and plates hoovered in a line, once over the, floating tub, the levitating brushes cleaned the dirt off, they then move along to be rinsed by a flying bucket and dried by an avian pair of bellows. Once all clean the dishes reassembled in neat piles.

Meanwhile, mops and brooms cleaned the floor.

Reverend Listener spoke his mind “I wouldn’t call this an evil spell. Powerful yes, by the speed of the washing and the size of the piles it’s been going on for at least an hour, probably more.”

“Evil or not,” Sir Hold Fast said “I’m not having magic in my kitchen. To the attack!” He raised his sword, the Reverend ducked, but the blade hit August’s horn.

Hold Fast swung and smashed plates. He bashed a pan and pushed the line back.

The bellows started blowing at him, and somehow thanks to the muck up of the line, squirted water at him. The line started pushing into him. He pushed back. He took a swing. Hit the pan and the front. His sword broke. The line bashed him. He landed in the tub. He then started being scrubbed, then bashed by the waiting pan, then scrubbed again, over and over.

The cook jumped back “Heaven preserve us!”, the Reverend ducked and joined her “It’s not responding to my exorcisms, it not evil. Maybe Hold Fast shouldn’t have given young Bullion all this work, then this wizard wouldn’t have meddled.”

August spared with the brooms and the mops. One mop wrapped around his face and proceeded to literally wipe the floor with him.

At this moment Star Swirl opened a side door and blinked, in horror he exclaimed “Now what have we here?”

Bullion blinked “Jumping jackalopes!”

Star Swirl charged his horn and shouted “Alakazam!”

With a crash the spell ended. And then everything else started crashing.

Hold Fast blustered as he struggled to get out of the tub “There you are, you goat! What’s the idea of flinging your evil spells all over the place? Some-pony give me a hoof out.”, August and the Reverend walked over, Listener spoke “Hold Fast I said the spell used wasn’t evil.”

Once standing Hold Fast looked at him coldly “Seemed evil to me, the way those inanimate objects attacked us like that!” He trudged up to Star Swirl, as he spoke bubbles flew from him “What have you got to say for yourself?”

“You call washing dishes and sweeping the floor a work of evil?”

“I’ll decide what right and wrong around here!”

The Reverend raised an eyebrow.

“Besides,” the knight continued “that’s the Wart’s job. One of his duties.” He turned to Bullion “Now look here boy, if you want to make that trip to Canterlot you’d better stay on the right side of the line.”

The cook then said her two bits to Star Swirl “You goat! If I ever catch you in my kitchen again, I’ll…”

“Madam, you won’t.” And he disappeared. The cook blinked “Oh dear, he’s gone.” She treed gingerly closer to the ground the Sorcerer stood on.

“Good Lord.” Hold Fast said.

August walked up and wringed the last of the water out of his mane “We ought to run the fool out of the Castle!”

“No!” Hold Fast said putting his hoof to August’s mouth “He might put another evil spell on the lot of us. Turn us all the stone. There’s no tell what the devil might do.”

The Reverend opened his mouth. But Bullion walked up determined “He’s not a devil! He’s, he’s good and his magic is good too.”, the colt spoke Sir Hold Fast and August turned to look down on him, in more ways than one.

“If you just leave him alone…”

Hold Fast interrupted “Now look here Wart, that’s three more demerits.”, August nodded “Box his ears Dad.”

Bullion didn’t care “Just because you can’t understand something it doesn’t mean it’s wrong. I mean no-pony, not even the Reverend can claim to truly understand God.”

Hold Fast blustered “Ten more demerits!”

Listener approached slowly “Excuse me…”

Both ignored him. Bullion went on ranting with watery eyes “You make all the rules and no-pony else can say anything!”

“You’ve said plenty boy! All that just ruined your chances.” He turned to his son “August, from now on young Hobbs is your squire.” He laughed “Did you hear that Wart? Hobbs is going to be August’s squire and Hobbs will be going to Canterlot.”

A tear rolled down Bullion still determined face “Yes sir.”

Hold Fast and August walked away, not before August called back “And that’ll teach you to keep you mouth shut you like pipsqueak.” He paused at a mop and slice the handle off.

Once they left the Reverend sighed, he looked at Bullion “If you need to talk, I’ll be here until tomorrow evening.”

Bullion sniffed “Thank you sir.”

The cook put her hoof onto his shoulder “Why don’t you have the rest of the day off boy. I’ll get some of the other lads to help me clean up.”

Bullion sniffed again “Thank you.” He slowly walked to the side door.

When he reached the straw bed in the stable hall he collapsed and curled up.

Twilight herself felt a couple of tears. Flash wrapped his hooves around her.

As the night fell on the Castle a series of lights started twinkling as Star Swirl slowly re-emerged into the world, first his hat, then his beard, then his body “I’m sorry lad, sorry I spoiled everything.” He sighed, although the edges of the mouth hinted a grin “I know that trip to Canterlot meant a great deal to you.”

Bullion sighed “It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have said those words. Now I’m really done for.”

“No, no.” Star Swirl said smiling “You’re in a great spot boy. Once you’ve hit rock bottom the only way is up.”

“I’d like to know how.”

“Use your head. An education lad!”

“What good will that do?”

“Get it first then who know? Are you willing to try?”

Bullion sighed “Well,” he shook his head with a smile “What have I got to lose?”

Star Swirl laughed and patted him on the back “That’s the spirit! We’ll start tomorrow! We’ll show them, won’t we boy?”

Bullion sighed again and shook his head embarrassed “We sure will.”

Chapter 3, Knowledge and Wisdom

The vision changed to the study of the Northwest Tower. Star Swirl showed Bullion a map scroll. It showed a flat disc with the then known areas of the Equus, with the cloud settlements of the Pegasi. The flat world sat on the backs of four elephants, which stood on the shell of a giant turtle.

“Now,” the Sorcerer began “first of all lad, we’ve got to get all these Medieval ideas of your head.” He shut the scroll “Clear the way for new ideas.”

Twilight scoffed “That drawing was a hoax from two-hundred years ago, how could the most important conjurer of the pre-classical era think every-pony in his own time thought the world was flat?”

Bullion shared Twilight’s views “But the world is round.” He said walking over to the globe close by “The Pegasi first documented the way you would see a mountain’s peak appear first, like slowly climbing up a hill. Then their philosophers worked out the rough size by measuring shadow lengths at different locations. And the Reverend showed me the works of Venerable Prayer from two-hundred years ago, he said the world is,” he shut his eyes “not merely circular like a shield, or spread out like a wheel, but resembling more a ball.”

Star Swirl blinked “Maybe I was assuming, see, in about nine-hundred years’ time most pony believe ponies of this time think the world is flat. I’ve know a few at Hogwash’s Arcane Academy. I’ve also meet on my travels a few tribes of Earth Ponies who maintain the flat Equus idea for religious reasons, some of the eastern Unicorns think the world is flat and square.”

“Well,” Bullion said “Equus is round, because it’s confined within the circles of heaven.”

Star Swirl smiled “Well, in the future ponies will discover that Equus is but a tiny speck in the universe. And neither is it the centre. True our sun and moon revolve around us, but there are heliocentric solar systems, where the planets revolve around the stars.”

“Heliocentric?”

Clover groaned “You’re only confusing the boy.” She flew down onto the globe. “Before your through he’ll be so mixed up he’ll be trying to walk upside-down.”

Star Swirl lit his pipe and started to angrily puff and Clover ranted.

“Ponies have always learned from the past. After all you can’t learn history in reverse, history’s confusing enough as it all for goodness sake!”

Star Swirl coughed and stood tall “Alright Clover, have it your way. You’re in charge.” He huffed to his chair “You’re the Head-Mistress now, so from now on he’s your pupil, let’s hope you have better luck with him then I’m doing with you.”

Clover sniffed, huffed herself. She composed herself and turned to Bullion “So, from now on boy, you do as I say.”

The colt nodded “Yes mam.”

“Alright.” She made her look a stern as possible “Now to start off, I want you to these books.” She pointed her wing to the pile next to them, a pile which reached the ceiling.

Bullion gulped “All of them?”

Clover proudly smiled “That my boy, is a mountain of knowledge.”

Flash smirked and looked at Twilight “Are you drooling at that yet?”, she looked at him annoyed “No, I would never salivate onto a book, it’s disgusting. Besides I’ve probably read them already.”

Bullion turned back to Clover “But I can’t read!”

“What?” Clover exclaimed “And I don’t suppose you know how to write?”, the colt shook his head.

“Well what do you know?”

“Well I…”

“Never mind, we’ll start at the bottom, the alphabet. And we’ll also train your magic too.”

Clover flew over to a chalkboard and carefully wrote, in a fancy calligraphy the letters of the Equestrian Alphabet, in capitals. She new flew onto Bullion head and held out the chalk “Now then, are you able to levitate this?”

“I should, it’s not heavy and only one thing.”, he charged his magic, a golden energy and took the chalk. He looked at Clover’s letters and did his best to imitate her movements. But having never written before and not used to using magic the letters ended up all rough and squiggly.

Clover said a rhyme to help “First the A, and now the B, loop and around, and there’s the C.”

Bullion smiled and glanced back excitedly “Star Swirl look, I can write!”

The Sorcerer rummaged through a few draws of his cabinets, but looked to them and chuckled “Oh yes, that’s very good boy.”

Clover wave her wing about “Come on, let’s continue.”, the colt returned to the board and Clover continued “D, E, F, and now the G,” she chuckled with her eye close “You see it’s a simple as…” she opened her eyes and looked at the board. To her horror she found Bullion wrote the F and the G backwards, “No, no.” She yelled and kicked her talon onto his head “Use you head, use you head! How do you ever expect to learn anything!”

“Clover?” Star Swirl called, they turned around and the wizard asked, “Have you seen that flying machine model, the aeroplane one?”

Clover crossed her wings “I have nothing to do with your futuristic fiddle-faddle, you know that.”

Bullion pointed to something “What’s that thing up there?”

Star Swirl looked above his head and smiled “Oh yes, of course. Here we are.” His magic took hold of a strange model hanging on a string, it didn’t look like a zeppelin, no balloon, just a single pair of fixed wings, with a three-flap tail, and something like a fan blade on the front.

Bullion tilted his head “You mean ponies will fly in one of those someday?”

Twilight blinked “I’ve never seen one of those before.” She glanced at Flash “Have you?”, he shook his head.

Star Swirl meanwhile turned the fan around one way, not noticing his beard wrapping around the shaft as well. He started running to the window “Here we go!” He didn’t stop in time and hit the stone frame. The model flew out the window, snagged on his beard, fell slightly, then unwound itself from the beard. Then twirled in its rapid descent.

Bullion and Clover ran up. The witch turned owl chuckled “Ponies will fly alright, ha, just like a rock.”

The model hit the moat, the wing snapped off and the body snack.

Clover burst out laughing and she couldn’t stop.

Star Swirl looked at her “It would have work if it wasn’t for this.” He pulled his beard up and trudged off to his chair while Clover continued her hysterics, he took a puff of his pipe, before proclaiming “Earth Ponies and Unicorn will fly. I have been there, that isn’t the only flying machine to be made. That one won’t be invented for a thousand years, I have seen it!”

At the window Bullion smiled “Oh I do hope.” He watched a blue bird flutter in the sky. I’ve always dreamed that I was flying, I’m sometimes wondered if I was meant to be a Pegasus or a bird, be free to go wherever I like whenever I like, high above everything.”

Star Swirl smiled boldly and crept up behind the colt. He mutters some words and charged his horns.

Om a quiet flash, Bullion turned into a sparrow. Unware the colt sighed “It’s my favourite dream, but I suppose every-pony dream about flying.” He moved his arms, but the felt different. He looked down and, well, did his best to smile widely with a beak “I’m a bird!” he yelled excitedly, and repeated this. He started flapping, but a little uncontrolled.

Star Swirl laughed and took hold of the sparrow before he fell into the moat. “Hold it boy, not so fast. First I’d better explain the mechanics of a bird’s wings.” He glanced to Clover and with his magic opened her wing “Now the large feathers are called the Primaries.”

Clover shook off the spell “And since when do you suddenly know all about bird’s wings?”

“I have made an extensive study of birds in flight. And I…”

“And,” Clover said putting her wing tips to her hip “if you don’t mind, I happened to be in the form of a bird, and have been for some time.”

Star Swirl huffed and poked her with his horn “Alright, Little Miss Know-it-All,” he put the transformed Bullion in front of her “He’s your pupil!”

Clover nodded and fluttered next to Bullion “Now boy, flying his not some crude mechanical prosses,” she cleared her through, Star Swirl cleared his and turned away.

“It is a delicate art, purely aesthetic, poetry of motion. And the best way to learn it is to do it.” She carefully shuffled to the edge and looked down “Now since we’re pretty far up, we’ll start with a glide. First, spread your wings,” she did so “way out, way out, that’s it,” she started laughing “that’s it. Now fan your tail.” She jumped a little it “Tiptoe, and off we go!” She leaned down and pushed off with the tips of her talons.

She glanced back and Bullion glided down just behind her, the thermals caught them and they straightened out. She glanced back to Bullion “Tuck your feet under.”

He did so. He started to shake and buffet.

“Don’t fight the air currents, use them.”, Bullion followed the advice and soon steadied. After a few experimental flaps he did a spin and dived.

Before Clover could react, Bullion turn upwards, just brushing a bunch of seed headed dandelions. Clover smiled “Say, boy,” her mouth dropped as Bullion flew upside-down and then went one his aerobatics, Clover sang his praises “you’re a natural! Are you sure this is the first time you…” as she followed Bullion she caught sight of something above them, her blood ran cold “Wart! Hawk!”

A large bird of prey loomed over them, it readied for a dive. The two transformed ponies dived too and flapped hard.

The hawk swooped over Clover. Its talon opened. Clover pulled a tailfeather out of the bird.

Bullion flew into the Everfree Forest. He didn’t know where to go. He saw something. It looked like a house.

Twilight blinked “Isn’t that the area of Zecora’s Hut?”

Flash nodded “Yeah, but that’s not Zecora’s Hut.”

Indeed not, it looked more like a round version of Star Swirl’s cottage. The thatcher tapered sharply into a tall point. And the trees forming the barrier of the clearing looked darker and many looked dead.

Not caring Bullion landed on the chimney pot and paused for breath.

The hawk flew over the clearing and spied him. It dived and called. Bullion jumped. He dived down the chimney, just missing the talons. He tumbled down, soot covered him. He landed in an unlit fireplace with a thud. The ash, dust and soot made him cough hard.

Over on a nearby table sat a Unicorn mare, dress in a reds and purples, with a black pointed hat and cloak over her shoulders. She played Solitaire, as she pulled out another card she heard the coughs and smirked “Sounds like some-pony’s sick. How lovely.” She cackled “I do hope it’s serious. Something dreadful!” she looked to the fireplace, paused and grumbled. Slammed the cards onto the table and stood up “Oh bat gizzards,” she picked up Bullion “It’s nothing but a scrawny little sparrow with a beak full of soot.”

Bullion shook his head “I’m not really a sparrow, I’m a colt.”

“A colt?” she dropped him onto the table. The soot fell off him as he stood up and brushed himself down “Star Swirl changed me with his magic. He’s the world’s most powerful wizard.”

The mare laughed “Star Swirl? That young whippersnapper? Star Swirl, the world’s most powerful bungler! Why boy, I’ve got more power in my back hoof.” She cackled again and skipped about “Now don’t tell me you haven’t heard of the Marvellous Madam Mini?” she bowed.

Bullion shook his head “Well, no, I don’t think so.”

Clover arrived just in time to witness the meeting from a window, she gasped “Madam Mini!”, her wings already starting to tire from the catch up, flutter as hard as she could back to Star Swirl. As a Witch she needed to prevent another of her craft from causing trouble.

The elder Clover sighed and took a determined look “There is one overarching reason to why, as the last true Witch of Equestria I decided to integrate Witchcraft into Wizard’s Magic, the Wizards and Sorcerers have rules, regulations and checks and balances to keep them from truly causing problems to the rest of the world, true “Dead Ponies’ Pointy Horseshoes” exists, but that only happens between Wizards. No, I did it to put an end to Cackling.”

There is a reason why Witches never use magic as freely as a Wizard would, a Witch exists to solve problems, it’s an important job in the grand scheme of things, and one Clover hoped she passed on to a select few, including the Royal Sisters.

If a Witch tries to solve all her problems with magic it would be easy, but magic always has a price, a certain Witch may consider it a cost worth paying so she does it for all her problems. More and more of them and you begin slide down, you start thinking you know better than every-pony else, so you might as well run their lives for them.

And if they don’t like it, well, that just makes them another problem, and so the ignorant fools would look so much better as a frog or a cockroach. Then the madness starts.

Clover finished her explanation by saying “At the very least, at that point in time anyway, Mini was yet to turn her house into gingerbread.”

Twilight blinked, she had a few things to think about, but one she managed to voice now “That would explain why Mini’s house is no longer there.”

She considered Cackling, she saw a few Cacklers in her time as a Hero of Equestria, Nightmare Moon and Queen Chrysalis sprung to mind immediately. Trixie must have while using, and under the influence of, the Alicorn Amulet. Sunset Shimmer may have Cackled when the Element of Magic turned her into a demon, she couldn’t remember, a lot of stuff happened then. She couldn’t recall Starlight Cackling, maybe she did it internally. Tempest Shadow neither, she didn’t seem the type to laugh at the time, again maybe internally.

But, this idea of running pony’s live. Well, Twilight did have some thoughts herself about it. Both Starlight and Tempest were driven to commit terrible acts because of traumatic events during their childhood. For Starlight, the loss of Sunburst, her only friend, and for Tempest, the loss of her horn. Childhood calamities caused two mares to become villains.

Somewhere out in Equestria some filly or colt could be going through a terrible experience. For she knew it could happen to one of her foals. She put her hoof to her swelling abdomen and her lip trembled at the thought.

A lot of ponies she met could have turned rogue without friendship. Cheese Sandwich left his home as a colt, what might have happened if he never stumbled into one of Pinkie’s parties?

Or Vapour Trail, if he never met Sky Stinger he would have spent his life lamenting his lack of ability, and who knows, he may have ended up hating the Wonderbolts instead of wanting to join them.

Even within her immediate vision she saw ponies who could have fallen. If Rainbow didn’t defend Fluttershy when the pair were fillies, she could have become a further recluse then when Twilight met her.

Apple Bloom could have become a recluse if not for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Heck, Scootaloo could have as well. And she heard Applejack mention something a cousin become a bully. Speaking of which, Diamond Tiara because of her mother, nose ever in the air, went around with a superiority complex and spent about a year and a half as a bully to the CMC.

Twilight did consider trying to think of ways to crud these events, but interfering with pony’s live, and trying to run then? She started to reconsider, and she admitted to using a quick magical solution every occasionally, although not to Starlight’s degree.

Flash looked at her and nodded “I know what you’re thinking Twi, the road to Hell is paved with good intensions. But we also must do good actions too.”, she nodded.

The vision of Madam Mini and the sparrow formally colt named Bullion.

The Witch slammed her hooved on the table, making the boy jump, “Why boy I’m the greatest!” She twirled over to the window, a rose sat in a pot “I’m truly marvellous!”

She then struck a pose and started singing “With only a touch,” she raised her hoof and charged her horn, a green fire like energy “I have the power,” she put her hoof to the rose “Zim zabberim zim,” the rose wilted and turned black “To wither a flower, I find delight in the gruesome and grimly…”

Bullion shook his head “Oh that’s terrible.”

She bowed “Thank you boy, but that’s nothing, nothing for me” she twirled again and finished her first verse “Because I'm the magnificent, marvellous, mad Madam Mini…” she bowed once more.

After pause she looked up at the transformed colt “You know what? I can even change size.” She charged her horn again “I can be huge!”, she filled almost all the available space, her head hit the thatched ceiling “Fill the whole house!”, then she turned to a ball of green fire and shot down to the table, with a puff, leaving an unsightly sickly green could of smoke, she became smaller that Bullion in his bird form.

“I can be ting, small as a mouse,” she disappeared in a teleport spell, then faded back to sit on the saucer next to the colt “Black sorcery, is my dish of tea.” She chuckled and jumped off, with a wave of her hoof she produced a broomstick “I come easy to me.” She hoped onto the broom “Because I'm the magnificent, marvellous, mad Madam Mini!”

Madam Mini start flying about the house. She flew over Bullion, nearly knocking him over, before flying under the table and returning to normal “Say lad, did you know I can make myself uglier yet?”

“Oh, that would be some trick.” Bullion blinked and covered her beak with his wing “What I mean is…”

“Want to bet?” She took off her hat and covered her face with it. A flash of green burst from behind. She took the hat away “Boo!”, her face resembled warthog.

Bullion gasped and nearly fell.

Mini laughed “You see? I win! I win!” She cackled again and clasped her forehooves together “Aren’t I hideous boy? Perfectly revolting?”

Still reeling from the shock Bullion mumbled “Well, uh, yes ma’am.”

“But you ain’t seen nothing yet. Watch this.” She touched her snout. The green fire engulfed her. It dissipated and Mini suddenly resembled a mare like Fleur Dis Lee “I can be beautiful, lovely and fair. Silvery voice, long purple hair.” She started posing, to an agape Bullion.

Twilight raised an eyebrow “Her magic looks a lot like Changeling magic.”

Flash shrugged “We’re never going to find out unless we can interrogate Chrysalis, even then she may not know her species origins.”

“But it only skin deep,” Mini went on, she gasped her mane “For, zim zabberim zimy,” she pulled and returned to normal “I am an ugly old creep! The magnificent, marvellous, mad, mad, mad, mad Madam Mimi!” She jumped about cackling “Now what do you think boy? Who’s the greatest?” she cackled again.

“Well, Star Swirl’s magic is always, well, useful, for something good.”

Mini smiled turned more fixed as her eyes narrowed, she paced around the table “And must see something good in you.”

“Oh, I suppose so.”

“Yes!” she snapped “And in my book, that’s bad!”, she rushed to the window and shut it. She glanced back at him with her grin “So my boy,” she stepped forward with a hurt expression “I’m afraid I’ll have to destroy you.”

“Destroy me?” Bullion exclaimed as he flew back, to get away from her.

“Yes,” she cackled “I’ll give you a sporting chance. I’m mad about games you know.” She climbed onto the table and her green magic appeared around her as she faded into a large cat. “Well come on! Get going boy, you got to keep on you toes in this game!” she pounced. Bullion fluttered back.

Table and chairs flew over each other. Bullion flew around the house. Mini leaped onto furniture, tipping them and there content over. The boy landed on a dresser. Mini appeared behind him. She grabbed a tailfeather. Bullion flapped. She let go. He shot across the room. His beak went into a dartboard. Bullseyes.

“I win!” Mini cackled taking Bullion in her claw. She panted “Oh, the game’s over.”

Bullion pecked her on the noise. She popped back to normal with a short shriek “Why you little devil you! I’ll wring your scrawny little neck!”

The door busted open. A swirling mass of stars and blue clouds spun in. Star Swirl faded into reality and shouted about “Mini! Mini!” He looked about the wreckage and spotted her “What are you up to?”

“Oh,” Mini’s pupils shrunk and she shuttered “Star Swirl. Your, your just in time.” She started stroking Bullion’s feathered head “We were playing a little game.”

Bullion looked to his mentor “She was going to destroy me.”

Mini huffed, with the cover gone she stood up and trudged to young Sorcerer, who towered over her, she put Bullion on the remains of a chair “And what are you going to do about it?” She jumped up and almost into Star Swirl’s beard “Want a fight?” She smacked her hoof into his face “Want to have a Wizard’s Duel?”

Star Swirl rubbed his cheek before regaining composure “As you wish, madam.”

“Well come on, step outside.”

Star Swirl stepped aside and bowed “After you, madam.”, Mini scuttled out and Star Swirl marched behind her.

Bullion flew after them and flew to a tree near on the edge of the clearing. He saw them below, he also noted the small cliff and pond just beyond the field.

Another fluttering sound and a patting Clover perched beside him “What’s up boy? What’s going on?”

“They’re having a Wizard’s Duel. What’s that mean?”

“Oh, it’s a battle of wits.” She sighed “The players change themselves to different things and attempt to, to, well, destroy each one another.”

“Destroy?” exclaimed the colt turned sparrow.

“Just watch boy, you’ll get the idea.”

The two magic users came to a stop beyond the very tree the transfigured ponies watched from. Madam Mini turned around and started speaking, only to get, muffled in Star Swirl’s beard. Pulling herself out she repeated “First of all, if you don’t mind, I’ll make the rules.”

Clover scoffed “Rules indeed, she only wants rules so she can break them.”

Mini glanced at her “I’ll take care of you later featherbrain.” She returned her attention to Star Swirl “Now, rule one, no mineral or vegetation, only animal. Rule two, no make-believe things like, oh, pink dragons and stuff.”

Flash raised an eyebrow “But dragons are definitely real.”

Twilight tapped her hoof “I can’t remember ever seeing a truly pink dragon, raspberry yes, amaranth too, but those are shade of red, according to Rarity. I don’t know much about colour theory.”

Mini continued “Rule three, no disappearing.” She tugged at the young Sorcerer’s nose. Star Swirl sniffed “Rule four, no cheating!”

Mini waved it off “Alright. Now,” they turned away from each other “pace of ten. One,” Star Swirl started to march other, Mini, doing to counting, first stayed in place. Then right at the start contradicting herself slowly vanished.

Bullion shouted down “Star Swirl! She disappeared!”

Star Swirl stopped and looked about annoyed, he shouted to the air “Now Mini, you made the rules!”

A laughing came from behind. Mini, in the form of a big crocodile opened her jaw. Star Swirl jumped into his hat. Mini snapped onto the cloth. She noticed a wiggling lump at the tip, now the bottom of a makeshift bag. Mini cackled and delved a hand into it. Something bit her. She pulled her hand out and flapped it about.

Star Swirl, as a tortoise flew off Mini’s finger and rolled shell up onto the ground.

Mini licked her lips and stalked towards him. Star Swirl struggled to get upright as Bullion and Clover called down. Once on his feet he moved as fast as he could and shouted back “Yes, give me time to think.”

“Quickly Star Swirl hurry!”

Star Swirl started bouncing. In a burst he became a Hare. Pounced away. Mini snapped. Star Swirl landed on her feet and looked down. His cottontail missing. He trudged back to the crocodile “Madam, just a minute.” He tugged at the fluff in her permanent smile. In-between tugged she changed into a racoon. Cackling she chased the hare around the field.

“Come on!” Clover shouted down “Something bigger!”

“Something smaller!” Bullion suggested.

The chased and chaser ran into a fallen and hollow log.

After a moment Mini called out “Star Swirl? No disappearing.”

A small caterpillar crawled out of a knothole in the log. An eye spied him. Star Swirl climbed up a branch.

Mini came running out as a chicken. She jumped. He beak clamped onto the end of Star Swirl. He stretched like a rubber band. He slipped out and went flying high. Mini laughing started guessing where to he would fall with her eyes shut.

Taking an advantage, the young Sorcerer grew into a walrus. He landed and looked about “Mini?”, something stirred under him, then grew from under him. A trunk grabbed him and Mini, as an elephant growled “You, big blimp!”

Star Swirl changed, into a mouse. Mini shrieked and ran off. Star Swirl gave chase. Until a roar. Star Swirl became the chased to a tiger Madam Mini, she cackled “Squish me, will you?” She jumped. Star Swirl scurried into a hole. When she landed he jumped out another hole and took hold of her tail. He readied a bite. Until the tail started rattling. Mini, now a snake lunged her fangs.

Star Swirl lifted the tail up. She bit into herself. She chased him down another hole. He emerged first from the network. Rolled a big rock over the exist. Mini rammed into it. The rock shifted out the way.

On a chance the young Sorcerer became a crab. Mini stuck her head out. He took a snap. She ducked.

After a few more attempts, after she started toying with him, his claw latched onto something. The solidity of it reverberated though his shell. Mini emerged. Revealing the thing Star Swirl held to be the horn of a rhinoceros “So,” she growled “you want to play rough, do you?” She turned around and charged. Towards a tree, on the edge of the cliff “I’ll smash you good!”

Star Swirl let go and quickly clambered over her. Unable to stop, Mini rammed into the old tree and jammed herself in it. The tree tipped precariously over the pond.

The young Sorcerer backed up. Changed into a ram. Charged “Here I come, ready or not!” He heads butted the tree. The rots lost their grip. Both Mini and tree tipped and got dunked.

Star Swirl smiled.

Then the water bubbled. Mini remerged, as a big purple dragon, fire cascaded off her scales.

Star Swirl backed up “Now Mini no dragons remember?”

Mini smirked “Did I say no purple dragons? Did I?” She spat fire at him. The Sorcerer ran from the Witch.

Flash fumed “Now that’s just exploiting a loophole.”, almost as cheesed off Twilight nodded “Thank Celestia that Wizard Duels no longer happen.”

The vision of the past continued, Star Swirl changed back to a mouse to outrun the fire. But he couldn’t outrun dragon Mini. He dived into a hole. Mini blew fire into it. Star Swirl flew out in the burst, tail alight. A pair of purple talons closed around him. Mini cackled “I win!”

Bullion scowled “That horrible old Witch! I’ll peck her eyes out!”, Clover quickly grabbed him.

Still laughing Mini opened her claws. Only to discover a few sparks of magic.

They all stared, Bullion and Clover voiced the thoughts in the air, “He’s gone!”

“Disappeared.”

“Madam,” Star Swirl’s voice, and echoing whisper and around Mini “I have not disappeared. I am very tiny. I am a gem, a rare disease.”

Clover, and Twilight, smiled.

“I’m called Malagolintomontorosis.”

Twilight’s face fell.

“And you caught me Mini!”

“WHAT!”

Clover laughed.

Star Swirl continued “First you break into spots.”, Mini’s skin turned green and red spots popped about.

“Followed by hot,” she started steaming, “and cold fleshes.” She shivered.

“And violent sneezing.”, Mini blew so hard she burned a tree down. Clover and Bullion bucked under the fire jet. Mini wailed “You’re a sneaky infantile scoundrel!” she started crying as she laid down on a tree.

The scene changed to Mini back as a pony bedridden.

Twilight sighed. Flash turned to her. “Malagolintomontorosis is fatal to dragons. I studied a bit on dragon when Celestia gave me Spike.”

“Of course, you did.”

Star Swirl took a thermometer out of the Witch’s mouth and spoke “It not too serious madam, as a Unicorn you should recover in a few weeks and be as good,” he chuckled “I mean as bad as ever.”

Bullion and Clover chuckled at this.

“But I would suggest plenty of rest.” He then charged his horn and pulled away a chunk of the thatch “And lots, and lots of sunshine.”

Mini covered her face with her mane “I hate sunshine! I hate horrible, wholesome sunshine.”

Rolling his eyes Star Swirl and the ponies-turned birds existed the house. Star Swirl locked the door. And they proceeded to leave the forest and back to the castle.

Clover looked back to the house.

The elderly Clover returned and wrote “I made sure to contact some of the other witches of the area to keep an eye on Mini. Miss Treason and Mistress Wildwind, since the reputation of a witch is marred by a Cackling Witch, well, other Witches don’t want Witches Cackling.”

Sitting on the tip of the Sorcerer’s hat Bullion spoke “You were really great Star Swirl. But you could have been killed.”

“If was worth it lad, if you learned something from it.”, the colt sparrow rubbed his chin with his wing “Knowledge and wisdom is the real power.”

“Right you are young Bullion, so stick to your schooling boy.”

“Oh, don’t worry I will sir.”

Flash raised an eyebrow “Why have I got the feeling something’s going to go wrong.”

Chapter 4, Long live the King

A page turned.

Nightfall on the last day of the Festival of Light. Snowfall on the castle.

Reverend Listener and Sir Hold Fast sang praises. Hold Fast took a goblet “Here’s to victory in Canterlot for my son August!”

“Sir August.” The son said grandly “I’ve been knighted don’t forget.”, Hold Fast chuckled and slapped August on the back “Of course son, of course.”

Bullion sighed as he cleared the table for the eighth day in a row.

“Here’s to Sir August, and who knows? The future King of All Unicorns!” He hit the Reverend’s wineglass so hard it shattered. The wine spilt onto August, who blurted out “Watch it will you!”

The Reverend flinched “August, the King?” he sniffed “What a dreadful thought.”

Suddenly the cook came running up the stairs “Sir Hold Fast! Hobbs have come down with the mumps! He’s all puffed up like a toad!”

Sir Hold Fast paused and hummed “Then August will need another squire, hang it all.” He sniffed and turned to Bullion. The colt carried a big pile of plates and bowls.

“Wart,” the old knight announced, “you’re August’s squire now, you’re going to Canterlot.”

Bullion smiled as he turned to the stairs “Sir Hold Fast, thank you.” He missed his stepping and tumbled down the stairs.

The scene changed to Bullion, dress in a baggy red garment, presumably so he would grow into it, if he were to grow into a nineteen-legged elephant, as he ran to the Northwest Tower. He ran up the spiralled stairs to the door at the top, shouting to the occupants excitedly. He flung the door open and presented himself in his, overly large, finery “Star Swirl look! I’m a squire!”

Sitting in his large chair, at the large fire of the brick hearth, the Sorcerer glanced back and gasped, his expression darkened and he sniffed.

Clover preached just above the hotplate smiled, perhaps a little to jovially. “Oh, uh. Very nice boy.”

Star Swirl turned away and rubbed his hooves before the flames “Yes indeed. A fine monkey suit for polishing horseshoes.”

Bullion’s face and posture fell “It’s what all squires wear.”

Star Swirl’s face screwed even further “And I thought you were going to amount to something!” He banged his hooves on the sides as he got up “I thought you had a few brains!” He kicked the pile of books and instruments, including the globe. The pile toppled and scattered. “Great future.” The Sorcerer growled “Ha! I stooge for that big flunk August.” He finally turned to Bullion and spat “Congratulations boy!”

A tear fell from Bullion’s eye “What do you want me to be? I’m no-pony. You don’t know a thing about what’s going on today, in this time, it’s all the future with you. Well, it the present right now, and in the present, I’m lucky to be August’s squire.”

Star Swirl clutched his hat and pull it over his ear “Of all the idiotic things. Why I… Send me to Sagittarius!”, his magic reacted and he fired like a rocket, through the roof. Bullion and Clover rushed to the window and saw the Sorcerer flying away to the horizon and beyond.

The colt glanced to Clover “Where did he go?”

“To Sagittarius Island I suppose.”

“Where’s that?”

“Oh, some island way off to the west which hasn’t been discovered.”

“Will he ever come back?”

“Who knows? Maybe someday.”

Another page turned. New Year’s Day arrived and the tournament came.

Unicorns from all sides of the continent came. Most from the national boarders and a number from the Eastern Settlements. Bullion saw Sir Crash and White Enchantress in the crowds, she noticed him and waved.

Before the Castle gates sat the stands, with the most important ponies of the kingdom included. The Unicorn Magisters, members of the College of Heralds, the Archchancellor of Hogwash’s Arcane Academy, the Emperor of the East, an elected position in the Eastern Settlements.

The High Magister stepped onto the podium and made the announcement “For the Crown of all Unicorns, let the tournament begin!”

The first two knight trotted into the jousting field. One white in golden armour, not like the armour of Celestia’s Day Guard, this armour, covered more, making his knight far more anonymous. He carried at his side a round shield with a curved cross of equally sized arms.

The other a black pony in dark green armour, his shield more traditional and spilt into quarters.

They charged. Lances lowered. Eyes glared. Nostrils flared. Lances met. Both were knocked down at the same time.

Sir Hold Fast laughed. He grinned as he saw the two draw their blades “Now it’s up to the swords.”, the golden knight knocked the green’s shield away.

Bullion flinched “Swords?” His hoof went to his forehead “Swords! Oh no!” He tugged at the red leather under August’s armour “August?”

“What?” he said annoyed as he turned from the fight “What?”

“I,” Bullion mumbled and fumbled August’s helmet in his magic “I forgot your sword.”

“Forgot my sword?” the elder exclaimed.

“I left it back at the inn.”

August grabbed a short pole with his magic and started swinging at the colt. Said colt nimbly dodged and ran off. August tried to follow but tripped over some discarded equipment. He shouted, “You’d better get it, or don’t dare come back!”

Bullion ran to the tavern. Clover flew with him. He grabbed the door and pulled “Let me in!” he banged the solid oak “Some-pony please.”, Clover wiped some ice off the window and looked it, she shook her head “It’s no use boy, they all gone to the tournament.”, the colt slumped at the door “Oh, what’ll I do? August’s got to have a sword.”

Clover looked away to pounder, then she paused, blinked and pointed “Look boy, look, there in the churchyard.”

Bullion turned. In the small area of land dedicated to the Silver Enlightenment. Fenced off by small iron railing sat a stone and anvil, in embedded in it… Bullion brightened up “A sword!”

The elderly Clover paused her writing and added “After the initial failure of the Sword in the Stone a few of the Silver Enlightened Priest of Canterlot had it moved to their yard to maintain it, since no-pony else would.”

Bullion jumped over the railings and ran up to it. Clover landed on a tree nearby and called “You’re going to have a time pulling it out.”

Ignoring her, the colt knelt on the stone and his hooves gripped the hilt. Magic spark from the sword.

Clover blinked, Bullion’s appearance, well, appeared, uncertain. One moment he looked as he always did, then she thought she saw a longer horn and, wings? Both there and not there. “Watch it boy!”

Bullion let go and jumped down. He appeared normal again. But his magically took hold of the sword, sparks burst again, and again his form, his nature fluctuated.

“Better leave it alone.” Clover advised.

Bullion broke the connection again. Looked at her. Then to the sword. This time he took hold with both magic and hooves “But August’s got have a sword!” He pulled and the blade slid out with ease.

Clover then looked down. Just visible under the squire’s robes an image, a Cutie Mark appeared. A crown below it in a refined font the letters B and RU, and again what Bullion looked like became a matter of confusion, it made her eye strain. ‘Does he have the soul of an Alicorn?’

Deciding not to question this she flew down and passed him ordering “Come on let’s get out of here.”, they rushed back to the tournament.

Sir Hold Fast turned to August “You’re up next son. Better get ready.”

“August!” Bullion called rushing in “Here’s a sword.”, August snatched the hilt and gave a brief look at it “This is not my sword.”

As August turned to glare at Bullion, Hold Fast noticed something “Hold no August, wait a minute…” He took it in his magic and examined it closer, he read out the letter of gold “Whoso pulleth out this sword…” he blinked in astonishment “Good Lord, it’s, it’s the Sword in the Stone!”

Sir Crash came quickly and took the blade as well “The Sword in the Stone? It can’t be.”

“But Crash,” Hold Fast said, turning the sword and pointing at the text “look, it is.”

Reverend Listener appeared beside Hold Fast and nodded “It’s the marvellous sword!”

Sir Crash made a volume spell and called to the populous “Hold everything! Some-pony has pulled the Sword from the Stone!”

As the murmurs raced through the crowd, and the Magisters, Royal Heralds and the Faculty of Hogwash’s converged on the corner, Sir Hold Fast glared down at Bullion “Where did you get it Wart?”

Bullion stammered “I, I, I pulled it out anvil,” he pointed down the way he came “that was on a stone in, in a churchyard.”

Around them the other knights and their parties began to laugh.

Sir Hold Fast scowled “You’re making a fool of us boy! Now tell the truth!”

“But I did sir.”, Hold Fast magically tugged at the colt’s scarf “Well come on, prove it. Back to the stone with you.”

August trailed behind his father, as did Reverend Listener, followed by Sir Crash and White Enchantress. Closely followed the Magisters, the Royal Heralds, the Faculty of Hogwash’s and practically every-pony in Canterlot. Perched on one of the banner Clover sighed.

At the stone, with the authorities, with the Vicar of the Church, atop the entrance steps, watching, Sir Hold Fast returned the Sword to the Stone and anvil. He laughed nasally and stepped aside for Bullion “Alright boy, let’s have the miracle.”

Bullion hesitantly stepped up once more. He looked at the crowd and gulped. He reached with one hoof. His hoof just touched the hilt. Then August took hold of the colt’s fetlock “Now wait a minute.” He pulled Bullion off his other hooves and put him aside, he then turned to the Sword “Any-pony can pull it once it’s been,” he put his hoof on the hilt and “pulled…” his word strained as the sword failed to budge. He put his other hoof on it as well and heaved.

Hold Fast nodded “Go to August! Give it all you got!” then joined his son’s side and tried to pull the sword out as well, even with two the Sword remained steadfast “Put your back into it.” He charged his magic. Still nothing.

Protests abounded, other knights jumped the railings and joined. Three joined August and Hold Fast arguing about who’s turn would be next.

Sir Crash pulled two of the other knights off and stopped Hold Fast “This isn’t fair Hold Fast.”

Reverend Listener nodded “I say we let the boy try it.”, Sir Crash nodded “That’s what I say give the boy a chance.” He glanced up at the authorities “Do their Excellencies agree.”

The High Magister glanced to the other Magister, they nodded, well, most shrugged. The High Magister rolled his eyes “If we have no more interruptions, I would like there to be a King by the time we set the Sun. I agree with the Archchancellor.”

Archchancellor Churn, who by this point fell asleep, got stirred by the Bursar. He blinked and glanced at the High Magister “Agree with me, about what?”

“About giving the young colt a go at pulling out the Sword.”

“Oh, oh yes.” Churn nodded “That’s why we’re here. Can we hurry this along? It’s close to lunchtime.” And promptly fell asleep again.

Chuckling slightly Reverend Listener geniality nudged Bullion “Go ahead son.”

Nervously the colt looked to the Sword. His face steeled. He marched to it. Reared up. Put one back hoof on the stone and a forehoof on the hilt. Gave a look to the crowd. Pulled. The Sword slid out. So fast Bullion nearly fell back into the snow. He recovered and place the Sword on his back.

Every-pony stared.

The Vicar looked to the sky and put his hooves together “It’s a miracle. Ordained by Heaven. This colt is our King.”

Hold Fast gulped “Well, by God.”

A Royal Herald decided the steps and asked, “What’s the lad’s name?”

“Wart.” Hold Fast said automatically. Then he blustered and shook his head “No, sorry, I mean, Bullion.”

The Herald nodded and with his magic materialised a few objects. A writing desk with inkwell and quill. Several thick books. A ruler and pair of callipers. “Hold still sire.” He said to Bullion and proceeded to measure parts of Bullion. Ears, nose, eye, height, horn length, etc. He glanced at the Cutie Mark, which Bullion only just noticed, the Herald muttered “Bullion, Rex Unicornis.”

He then opened the book and noted these down. Filed through pages in each book and studied them, compared a couple of pages to others. He nodded and shut the book. From his belt he pulled a trumpet a gave a tuneful blast “I Sable Vert Barry Rayonny, Royal College of Herald do acknowledge Bullion, through meticulous examination, to be the lost son of His Late Majesty King Pendragon.” He bowed to Bullion.

The Chief Herald, Or Vert Saltire raised an eyebrow and called down “You say by comparing the measurements of the late King and Queen, and their relative and ancestors?”

Sable nodded “Yes sir. He shares features of the House of Rare Metals and the family of Queen Mercia. He is their son.” The Royal Herald walked back to the gather authorities and showed them the books.

Sir Hold Fast’s hoof went to his heart. August and the Reverend kept him upright “You mean to say I foster the Crown Prince, and I made him a Pageboy?”

Sir Crash nodded “It appears to be.” He shook his head “Well no-pony ever said.” He glanced back to White Enchantress, she blushed.

The High Magister shut the last book with his magic and announced to the crowd “Hail King Bullion!”

The crowd responded “Hail King Bullion! Long live the King!”

Hold Fast knelt before the colt and took his hat off “Forgive me son.” He lowered his head in shame “Forgive me.”

Bullion shook his head “Oh please don’t sir, you did nothing wrong.”

Hold Fast smiled, then glanced to his son “August, bow down to your King!”, August at first knelt grumbling, he glanced up at Bullion, his expression changed, and he bowed his head in reverence.

The elderly Clover grinned “So at last the miracle had come to pass in that seemingly far off time on New Year’s Day. And the glorious reign of Bullion, the Unicorn King began. Though at first he seemed so very unsure of himself.”

The younger, owl Clover sat on an arm of the throne.

Bullion sat upon the throne, his back legs dangling off, too far from the ground to touch, the great hall empty save for himself and Clover. He rested the Sword between his legs, leaning against the seat. The regal cape of his status enveloped the boy, almost causing him to disappear within it. No better the crown upon his brow, inset with jewels and quite regal, and still too big, and as such kept slipping down over his head, forcing him to readjust it constantly.

He sighed. The motion caused the crown to fall over his eyes once more. He pushed it up again and glanced at the transformed which “I can’t be a king Clover. I don’t know anything about ruling a country.”

Twilight nodded “Join the club.” She muttered.

Clover sighed “I told you to leave thing in the stone boy.”

A half-formed idea appeared in his head “I’ll, I’ll run away. That’s what I’ll do.” He set the Sword to the side, and hoisted himself down off the throne, the cape billowing about him, and the crown again fell over his eyes. Raising it from his head, he carefully set it upon the throne, “They’ll just have to get some-pony else! I mean the Magister held a tournament for it.” With this he turned, looking wistfully about himself, not really having a plan of how to get out of the castle, save, “out”.

Clover whispered and pointed “Better take the side door Wart. Out the side door.”

Bullion rushed to it and pulled. The moment it became ajar voice shouted “Hail King Bullion! Long live the King!”, said King shut it. Clover fluttered and pointed again “There’s another door over there.”

This time the pair hurried to the main entrance. Upon opening it, “Long Live King Bullion! Long live…” the colt slammed the door shut.

The shouts and the cold wind blew Clover back into a pillar. She regained herself and sighed “Looks like we’re surrounded boy!”

Bullion started pacing about quickly and haphazardly “Oh Clover, I wish Star Swirl was here!” he strode slowly back towards the throne, silently resolving to once more sit upon it and wait for something to happen, when he stopped in the very middle of the hall, a faint sound hit his ears, head turning from side to side, trying to capture the source of a mysterious sound.

With a great crunching of broken glass, a window high up in the hall burst inward with a bright ball of a yellow tinged comet. It swept and juked its way around the pillars lining the hall, and then dived down towards the colt Before he could even give out a frightened gasp, it collided with the floor, and skidded to a stop before him.

Star Swirl stood before him.

Bullion blinked, he wanted to smile, but he couldn’t “Star Swirl your back from, from…”

“Sagittarius Island. What a monotonous lark! I had more fun on a narrowboat holiday.”

Bullion started to spill his troubles “I’m in an awful pickle. I’m King!”

Clover groaned “He pulled the Sword from the Stone!”

Star Swirl laughed “Of course! Of course! Why didn’t I see it?” He took the colt and escorted him back to the throne “King Bullion and the Royal Knights of Equestria.”

Climbing on the seat Bullion looked at him puzzled “Equestria?”

“Oh,” he placed the crown back onto the colt’s head “well, in about thirty or forty years’ time, your daughter will help unite the Three Tribes into a continent spanning nation!”

Bullion blinked “I’ll have a daughter?”

Star Swirl laughed, he opened his mouth, but Clover flapped in and spoke up “Star Swirl, you can’t go tell the boy about his own future. Time-loops and self-fulfilling prophecies remember!”

The Sorcerer sighed “Alright Clover, I won’t spoil too much.” He turned to Bullion “But now my boy, we have a long journey ahead of us. You’ve been crowned King, now we have to figure out what kind of king you’ll be.”

Bullion tapped his hoof on his chin “This Royal Knights idea? Do you think I should have Sir Hold Fast, August and Sir Crash in them?”

Star Swirl chuckled “It’s your decision Bullion,” he chuckled “but it good of you to ask.”

The vision faded away to the elderly Clover she smiled and put the quill down. Yawed. Bolted the last page and went to bed.

Finally, the images disappeared into the book. The last page turned. Twilight got up and walked to the book. Picked it up and read it “Clover the Clever died in her sleep after finishing this section. This book is dedicated to her, to Star Swirl, and to King Bullion.”

“He was such a fine gentle-stallion.” Said another voice.

Flash and Twilight turned around.

Princess Luna stood behind them “I had no idea Mistress Clover wrote a book about him.” She looked at Twilight specifically “Celestia said you wished to know about Ruthenium?”, the Princess of Friendship nodded.

Luna closed her eyes and sighed “Prince Ruthenium, we were, involved, courting, one of the few ponies I knew who like the night. Then one day, something happened to him. He, some demon took control of him and he…” she grimaced “He become Sombra.”

Twilight gasped.

Luna nodded and rubbed her eyes “We were force to fight our own colt-friend. We destroyed his body and forced the demon’s spirit into banishment. When the Crystal Empire, a side goal of mine was to find a way of restoring Ruthenium.”

“Thou would have found it difficult.” A familiar voice to Twilight’s memory spoke. Luna flinched and looked about “Ru?”

“Princess,” Flash said and pointed with his wing. They all looked down, a second shadow stretched from Luna. The Princess of the Night’s eyes widened. Her horn flared.

The shadow grew. The darkness fell away. In the place stood a fuzzy and fade ghost of a stallion. A male Unicorn. Dark coat, his neat mane and tail, black with cobalt blue streaks. His eyes, while mainly a greyish sap green carried the glowing amber around the edges. His cloak also looked refined, a rich red with ermine around the edges. He smiled “Lulu.”

Luna reached out. Ruthenium backed away “Thou cannot. This Ruthenium cannot interact with the living. This one is but a shadow of one’s former self.”

“Ru,” Luna whispered, “what happened?”

“This one has already explained, she may believe it a dream, but thou should speak with one Lyra Heartstrings. This one will simply say, Ruthenium was tricked and corrupted by the darkest of evil. After Sombra’s defeat this one can only exist in places of powerful magic.”

Twilight nodded “Like the Star Swirl Section of the Archives.”

“Thou are correct. The range of the magic allows me great access to this place. One has spent much time reading, between prayer of redemption.”

Flash blinked “Prayer? You’re Silver Enlightened?”

“This one chose to convert at a young age.” He looked to Luna “To be better suited to one’s love.”

Luna gave a sad smile “And we appreciated it greatly.” She sighed “Ru, I wish I could hold your hoof, to kiss you, even for one last time.”

He nodded, the ghost of a tear trickled down his cheek “This one too would nothing else. But fate says otherwise.”

“What will you do?”

“This Ruthenium has considered reincarnation.”

Flash blinked “Wait? You can choose?”

“This one has considered it, it does not it will happen.” He studied Flash “Thou has some resemblance to Sir Defender Warden.”

“He’s an ancestor on my Dad’s side.”

“Ah, this one understands.”

“Ru,” Luna said taking his attention “I have looked at one or two spells in my time. I might be able to send you into the reincarnation cycle, only once, it is a powerful spell.”

“Thou would do that, for this Ruthenium?”

“To let you live, of course I would.”, he smiled and reached as far as he dared “Thank you Luna.” He shut his eyes and took a deep breath “This one is ready.”

“Right now?” Twilight asked.

“This Ruthenium has been ready for a long time.”

Luna sighed “Then forgive me for not coming sooner.”

He shook his head “Thou are blameless, this one is guilty for not revealing one’s self sooner. This, I, I feared you would still hate me as Sombra.”

“Ru,” Luna stepped closer, her nose almost, well it couldn’t touch his nose, but she looked deep into his blurred eyes and smiled sweetly “I never hated you Ruthenium. I feared for you yes. I love you.” A tear fell “Hate you? I can see why you would think that. But you must know me better.”

Ruthenium sighed “I wish I did, I wish I knew every-pony better. I wish I knew myself better, then maybe.” He sighed “That is in the past.” He stood up straight and proud “It is the future this one looks forward to.” He faulted and looked at her with a blush “I hope.”

She chuckled. With one last stare into his eyes she nodded. Charged her horn. A symbol. A triple spiral formed out of the magic. It twirled and spun towards the ghostly stallion. He shut his eyes. The symbol attached to his forehead. He eyes shot open and he took a gasping breath.

Luna took a step forward “Ru?”, he held up a hoof and took some more breaths “It’s fine Lulu, this one, is just, I just felt, the weight of, I think my life, fall away. It felt as if one was in deep water, only now have I reach the surface.” He shut his eyes again and basked “Now we will see where the waves carry us.” He looked once more to Luna. “Before I go, Luna, may I say, you were always my favourite Princess.”

Luna blinked and blushed. Ruthenium chuckled and faded, a ball of light took his place. It danced in the air. Twirled around Flash, then Twilight, and then prolonged around Luna. Up to her face, pecked her on the cheek. Again, a light chuckle and it flew out the nearest window.

Luna stood frozen. Her hoof went to her cheek “Favourite Princess.” She murmured, before she walked away in silence.

Flash turned to Twilight “What’s gotten into her?”

“I’m not sure,” her hoof went to her chin and her eyes narrowed “I may have an idea though.”

Flash raised and eyebrow and grinned “An idea?” He looked out the window “It’s getting late. We’d better go. You sure your parents are fine with us staying?”

“Of course, they are, they’re my parents. I haven’t spent time with them in private, or tried to anyway since that Zeppelin trip.” Her eyes narrowed “We still haven’t found Iron Will though.”

Flash shrugged “We’ll get him, eventually.”

Prologue

Princess Twilight Sparkle trotted about the Canterlot Library. Princess Luna seemed to be acting a little shaken, ever since the exhibition by Prince Blueblood, Captain Star and Lyra Heartstrings and Bon-Bon. She decided to ask Celestia and the Princess of the Sun simply told her “It’s something personal which happened a long time ago. If and where Luna wishes to discuss it is down to her and her alone. All I can say is it involved the Unicorn Royal Family.”

The Unicorn Royal Family, Twilight thought, the House of Rare Metal, founded over three-thousand years ago, by a simple Unicorn shepherd from the town of Sacrament, she and Flash Sentry honeymooned there, primarily for being the birthplace Silver Light, the central figure of both her and Flash’s religion, the Silver Enlightenment, and presumably the trio she currently carried were conceived there during those two weeks last year.

She shook her head get her thought back to the matter at hoof, something to do with the Unicorn Royal Family. Twilight didn’t know the exact ages of Celestia and Luna, but she understood from the Journal they kept as young rulers, only added to by Star Swirl’s comments after the defeat of the Pony of Shadow. So, they lived during the time of Princess Platinum and other founders of Equestria. Star Swirl the Breaded and Clover the Clever were the first principals of Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, although it wasn’t call that back then. Of course, Star Swirl gave the position to Clover when Stygian came to him to assemble the Pillars of Old Equestria.

True to her character, Twilight decided to read up on the immediate family of the Unicorn Monarchs, in the Journal of the Two Sisters they wrote how Princess Platinum mentioned her father, King Bullion. Twilight never heard of him before reading the Journal, so, she decided to find him.

The Royal History Section stretched several houses in length. As a filly Twilight always wondered how come the inside dimensions every library and bookshop she entered never seemed to conform to their outside appearance. Magically buildings, like her own Castle and the Star Swirl Section of this Library she could brush off as being a side effect of being magical in nature. But as for this section and say the local bookstore in Ponyville, a place benefitting from her personal patronage, didn’t quite fit architecturally, the Golden Oak Library she could also brush off, for being built in a hollowed-out tree.

At the memory of her old home of Ponyville she sighed, simpler time, but she also reminded herself, thanks to her friends, if she ever needed to remember the Golden Oak, she just needed to walk into the Throne and Map Room and look up.

Still, the question of the dimension of places with a lot of books plagued the back of her foremind.

“Maybe the books influence reality.” Said a voice.

Twilight looked about, only seeing blank spaces and shadows. Since no-pony over than herself stood present, she assumed the voice to be her own, though it didn’t sound like her own voice. ‘Flash might be right, I’m not getting enough sleep.’ She put a hoof to her baby bump ‘Sorry if I’m not, but Mommy has her duty.’ She gave a happy sigh.

Then whatever the thought said returned to the forefront of her conscious ‘Books effecting reality?’

“Knowledge is power.” The voice said again.

‘I suppose it is.’ She paused and turned around to the shadows. The voice came from there, she charged her horn to illuminate the room and extend her wings out far “Alright, whatever you are, come out.”

The lightening of the room revealed nothing, except a shadow on the wall. A shadow of a Pony, a hooded Unicorn. The corners of the mouth curled and a pair of glowing yellow eyes opened, a peered into her, Twilight felt her soul shudder, and the foals briefly stirred.

“This one congratulates thou for an astute mind.” The shadow spoke with a refine, and ancient baritone “Most simply shrug of this one’s attempts at conversation.”

Twilight blinked, mouth agape “The Pony of Shadows? But we, banished, you.”

The shadow shook his head “There are many shadows Your Highness, what lives in the dark, is not always evil, but the good are often overshadowed.” The shadow started walking over to a shelf, wrinkling and reshaping in the light and structure of the shelf and the spines of the books. Twilight followed him.

He stopped. His hoof rose to a book and it slide out from it place on the shelf. The eyes returned to her “Thou are only just beginning on a journey. Thou may wish to pause and consider the next move, after learning of this knowledge of this one’s Great-Grandfather.” The Shadow Pony faded.

Twilight rubbed her eyes and watched the wall for a moment. After nothing happened she turned to the book sticking out of the shelves, as if wishing to be read. She pulled it out with her magic and went to a cosy corner in the library.

Again, corners and unusual space in an area with dozens of books, the ideas the Shadow Pony, she’d need to come up with a different name, one which didn’t remind her of the monster who took over Stygian, anyway what, he, exposited came back to her.

It has been said by many wise scholars, ‘Knowledge is Power’. It has been said by certain other wise scholars, ‘Power is Equal to Force over Distance, Divided by Time’. Equally, it is commonly known that knowledge resides, in a permanent, fixed form, in books.

If knowledge is power, and power is a force applied over a distance over a set unit of time, then knowledge bound in paper and ink must contain vast amounts of untapped potential energy. That’s just science.

And since science is just magic that we can understand, it’s magic, too.

She looked up and over the rest of the Canterlot Archives with her epiphany, it made a bizarre but scary amount of sense. The Library did seem to have more staircases than floors, and nearly every bookshop she entered contains rows of shelves ending in little doors surely too small for a full-sized Pony to go through. With this knowledge, she now imaged a good bookshop as a genteel Black Hole with the ability to read.

Looking for a distraction she quickly examined the front page of the book. Title, The Future Unicorn King, The young days of Bullion. And the author, Clover the Clever.

Twilight gasped and quickly turned to the opening pages. She skipped the first few pages, time didn’t allow her to dwell.

It read ‘A legend is sung, before Equestria was young. And knights were brave and bold. The Good King had died, and no-pony could decide, who was rightful heir to the throne. It seemed, that the land would be torn by war. Or save by a miracle alone! And that miracle appeared, in Canterlot. The Sword in the Stone.’

The book went into further details of the above set up.

The Good King in question, Pendragon, his son disappeared, and arguments started between nobles and the Temple Mages over which of the distant cousins, preferably the younger ones should be chosen and, as Clover put it “advised”.

Finally, the narrative returned to the sword.

God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit all agreed to intervene in the matter, and thus in the grounds of Canterlot Castle, materialised in heavenly light, a broadsword jammed within an anvil, atop a granite block. ‘And below the hilt, in letters of gold, were written these words “Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise King, born of the Unicorns.”’

The heirs, their advisors and guards were called, and naturally several hundred managed to come among them and the nobles to witness the event, and eventually mustered up courage to take part.

‘Though many tried for the sword with all their strength, none could move the sword, nor stir it. So, the miracle had not work, and the Unicorn Kingdom was still without a King. And in time, the marvellous sword was forgotten.

‘This was a dark age. Without law, and without harmony, ponies lived in fear of one another, for the strong preyed upon the weak. Every-pony forget the Lord and the commandments and the words of Silver Light…’

Twilight read the words again and blinked “Clover the Clever was Silver Enlightened?”

A low chuckle sounded, and a familiar voice spoke “She was a bit of a fanatic too.”

Twilight looked up with a smiled “Star Swirl! Your back!”

The old Unicorn Sorcerer walked up beside her “Celestia said I might find you here.” He looked down to the book “So Clover documented the story, I must have been distracted. I’d be interested to learn her perspective.”

Twilight smiled and nodded “How are the other Pillars doing?”

“Rockhoof is going to become a trainer at the Royal Guard Academy, although I also hear that he and Flash Magnus are candidates for Royal Knights.”

“Really?” said another voice, or rather a pair of voice. The Unicorns turned, and Twilight smiled happily as Flashes Magnus and Sentry walked up. The Princess then blinked at the pair. Aside from the differences in coat and mane colour, and how Magnus looked slightly older, the two appeared identical, they even walked in prefect step.

Prince Flash paused at his wife’s dismayed look then chuckled “I was going tell you before you ran off here Twi. Flash Magnus is one of my ancestors.”

Magnus sighed “I was so busy with the Royal Legion and the Pillars I never had time with my family, I barely saw my wife and kids.” Tears formed in his eyes “The only time I really knew properly them was the day I spent with them before I said goodbye and joined to others for the banishment spell.”

Star Swirl sighed “We scarified so much, all because of a misunderstanding.”

Twilight got up and hugged Magnus, “If you want you can stay with us.” She rubbed her hoof over her bump “We could use all the help we could get raising the Triplets.”

Magnus bowed “Thank you Princess. I don’t think I can live in Cloudsdale, with it so different. Our King, a once a client to the Pegasus Emperor overthrown, the Royal Legion merged with the Royal Guard, and I don’t really feel I’d fit in the Wonderbolts, I’m a solider, not a stunt flyer.” He glanced to Prince Flash “And I tend to follow, sometimes I break away, but I never do it without permission.”

Flash blinked “You’re letting me give you orders, my own grand… wait…” he faulted.

Magnus chuckled “We’ll work it out later. I do feel a duty to protect the Tree of Harmony, I did help make it.” He turned back to Twilight and Star Swirl “As for the other Pillars. Meadowbrook went back to her home and her descendent welcomed her back, same with Mistmane and Somnambula. As for Stygian?”

Star Swirl smiled “Last I heard he entered as a Lecturer at Hogwash’s.”, referring to Hogwash's Arcane Acadamy, the oldest magic school in Equestria, although somewhat lacking compared to Celestia's School.

Twilight and Sentry glanced at each other, the Princess turned back confused “I didn’t see him when Archchancellor Wildwind was elected.”

“He said he’d been made the Chair of Indefinite Study, I’m amazed that position’s still going. It keeps the pony in question quite busy.” He sighed again “Equestria is very different from the place we left. Celestia and Luna have told me what happened since then. The Reign of Chaos. The Dark King Sombra…” a stir in the air gave them all pause, and they looked around.

Twilight looked to the shadow with a nervously raised eyebrow.

Star Swirl cleared his throat “And the Tale of Nightmare Moon.” He gave a big sigh “I taught Celestia and Luna how to be Princesses, to be smart, to be good, I guess I didn’t teach them how to be friends.” He looked to Twilight and gave a sad smile “Celestia was right in telling me I didn’t understand friendship, my arrogance got the better of me, I was a Sorcerer, a High Wizard, I felt myself a leader and the Pillars, we were a team, not a group of friends.” He closed his eyes and bowed to Twilight “That is where you are my better Princess. By being a friend, and being yourself, you proved you and your Elements are what Equestria needs. I’ve come to realise what I assumed was wisdom was merely intelligent, you Princess, and your student are far wiser than me.”

Twilight blushed, her horn sparkled in embarrassment and pride.

The Magnus coughed “I just want to ask, why did you put to Elements back into the Tree?”

Twilight then explained about the Plunderseed incident.

Star Swirl nodded “In that case it was a good thought, keep the fruit of our labour alive.”

Prince Flash then raised an eyebrow at Twilight “I thought the Tree of Harmony gave you and girls those Rainbow powers when you defeat Tirek, was that just a onetime thing?”

Twilight blinked “Actually I’d pretty much forgotten about them.” She faced hoofed “Maybe we could have call on them instead.”

Star Swirl hummed “I think it is best to focus of what is instead of could have been.”

A spark of magic shot passed his face making him flinch.

The quartet glanced down at the book. It started glowing.

Magnus rolled his eyes “Great, more hocus pocus.”

Star Swirl narrowed his eyes “It must be some imprinted magic residue. Clover did have some trouble control her magic.”

The book unfurled to the beginning pages. A light emerged from it and spread like a dome around them.

In the corner of the library alcove, a fade image, like a magical hologram, crackled into existence.

An elderly Unicorn mare sat at desk. Her coat a greying light blue, a mane of equally greying dark blue. Her cutie mark being a trefoil clover divided in half with one half white, the other red.

A tatty cloak with a pointed hood made of burlap and rope hang beside the desk.

She spoke, in a refined and aged country accent, as she wrote on paper with the quill in her magic “The Equestrian Royal Chronical, my last work. I am old now, I’m not the mare I once was. But even as a young mare, I was always the Crone of a Witch trio, somewhat disagreeable, but wise and wishing to help, something I’ve hopefully imparted this to Princess Luna. I feel knowing the history of the Unicorn Royal Family in it last form will help rulers in the future. The best place to start is with his late Royal Majesty King Bullion. And please, bear with my erratic writing style.”

Star Swirl nodded “She was great with spell of Witchcraft and integrating them into Wizardry, but she was never good at writing sagas, she did tend to tangent.”

The four sat down and watch as the opening verses of the book played out as Clover envisioned it. Whenever she went into a more thorough explanation the imagined faded to black and the magic refocused on her at the desk.

Author's Note

Happy New Year (At time of writing.)

And so we start with another story of the EK Verse. I hope you enjoy it.

Epilogue

Luna rubbed her cheek as she stepped out onto her tower balcony. She took a breath and raised the moon, and at the same time called the stars to appear. She remembered some of the old constellation from a thousand years ago. One always made her pause. She remembered being taught by Star Swirl about it, it represented some great hero of the ancient past, but now, after a thousand years, it resembled a teacup.

Shaking her head again she brushed it off with the thought ‘Things change.’ And she paused, they did, she didn’t quite know how this change happened, but still some areas of magic even Star Swirl said he didn’t understand.

She charged her horn and entered her Dream Realm. The smaller inner worlds of ponies’ dreams orbited around her. She glanced at some. A nightmare here and there, but when she touched them with her hoof, she felt them necessary.

Walking on she came to a small bubble. A grin appeared on her face. She didn’t release it, but she recognise the feeling from a long time ago, it slipped her mind she’d been feeling it every time she watched over this young colt.

He dreamed differently tonight. Instead of a swashbuckling high seas adventure, he, fantasised himself as older, taller and armoured, in a more flasher armour than the Royal Guard. Probably his idea of a Royal Knight’s armour, fought against, Chrysalis.

Luna frowned, ever since the Secret Invasion Chrysalis became something of a bogeyman to many a pony.

He pulled out his sword and flourished it. Grandly, like one born to be a king, or a prince. “You won’t get to her!” he barked “Princess Luna is under my protection!”

This made her smile. Throughout her observations she played a part in his dreams, oh nothing explicit, ‘Yet.’ She added to herself. But usually she played as the Captain of the ship, and he her First Mate, or a friendly rival Captain. Every time however he tried not to harm her, or have any harm put upon her.

Meanwhile Chrysalis loomed over the Royal Knight, and charged her horn.

Luna inhaled and entered. She charged her horn and fired. Chrysalis hit the wall. The Princess held her head high “And I can easily protect myself as well!”

The dreamer turned back and blinked “Princess?” He stepped forward and bowed “You’re really here, aren’t you?”, she blinked “It’s rare for one to tell that. And you yourself constantly dream of me.”, he blushed.

Chrysalis recovered.

Luna narrowed her eyes “Let’s finish this bug off together. Shall we Pip?” She charged her horn again.

Sir Pipsqueak saluted and took a ready stance.

Chrysalis pounced.

In unison, Luna and Pip leaped into action.