CADANCE POV, SOME TIME IN THE PAST

"I have a question." Noire and the generals all perked up as I walked up to them after a hard day's training "Why do you call out your attacks like you’re in a comic book? Doesn't it seem a little embarrassing?" They all looked at each other, seeing who would respond first. Noire spoke up first, with a small blush on his cheeks.

“Okay, so I may or may not have picked it up from Tidal.” Tidal faced Noire with a neutral expression, waiting to see if she needed to be disturbed or mad. “While I was still being trained by Shining, I used to go out at night for walks around the castle, and there I would regularly find Tidal training. She was always calling out her moves and I thought it was just a thing ponies do here so I ran with it.”

Tidal’s face turned into a frown “I never noticed. You never asked to train with me at that time.”

“Because I didn’t know you were at the time, and I was too nervous to ask. Plus, I’m 90% sure that you didn’t like me back then.” Tidal tried to defend herself but gave up. She would have never agreed to even share her name back then. How time has changed.

Burning sat on a nearby bench, cleaning himself of sweat. “I believe a text in my monastery said that saying it acts like an incantation. I asked my master about the credibility, and he confirmed but didn’t know the specifics.”

“Wait, so we’re not saying it out loud because it’s cool?” Windy added.

“No,” the rest of them responded. I giggled a bit as I watched them banter. I was never like this a few months back then. The generals we’re close, but close colleagues before Noire came into the equation, and now, even Tidal and Burning’s cold exteriors were melting, and they could act like they all were the best of friends. This is what I had always envisioned: all three races, working together to protect the empire and the kingdom.

Tidal spoke up, gathering everyone’s attention as she tapped her practice sword against the ground. She looked like an instructor, teaching her underlings. “The incantation part is a valid part of vocalizing your magical attacks. It’s basically to change the form of magic quicker and easier. Say I wanted to make a magic wall in the shape of a triangle,” Tidal puts her hand out and a blue triangle appears “I would have to summon my internal magic to show external magic how to behave when I’m casting this spell. However, it takes time for my internal magic to memorize my command, especially with spells that have specific shapes, effects, requiring an even greater amount of internal magic. Horns can reduce the time it takes, but not by much. That’s where incantations come in.”

“So, you do it as a command to your magic to do as you say?” I asked.

“Yes. It starts out slow at first, but as your magic begins to memorize instinctively how you want it to behave, it makes the difference between those who use incantations and those who don’t. Eventually, you won’t even need it for some spells; that’s when your spells begin to become second nature to you.” I nodded in understanding. “But yes, even I can admit it’s a bit embarrassing, which is why I pray I get to the point I don’t have to use them for any of my spells anymore comes soon.”

“I guess I understand why my power is called 'the code' now. This sounds like coding back in my world."

"If you want to make that comparison, sure. In theory, you should not even need the use of an incantation." Tidal said to herself. She looked up in contemplation before setting her eyes on Noire again. "Rookie, use magic to make a dodecahedron. Now." Noire raised his hand and closed his eyes and the shape quickly appeared before him.

"Woah! I don't even know what a dodecahedron is," he said in bewilderment that he made such a complex shape so quickly.

"As I thought. Your code makes intermediate magic casting look like an infant could have done it. The exception that proves the rule," she said mournfully as she sat on the ground. Noire walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. He began consoling her.

"If it make you feel better, I'll pretend I need to use them." Bad move. That struck a major nerve in Tidal as she fired a torrent of water as him, sending him back to Windy, Burning, and myself.

"Don't act like you're above me, you rookie!" Tidal yelled as she huffed and stormed off. I walked over to Noire, face first into the ground, and gave him a towel.

"You pressed her 'better than you' button. You shouldn't a' did that."

PRESENT TIME

They were right: the first time's always the most tiring. I felt a wave of catharsis wash over me when I saw Chrysalis being sent flying like I had swatted a fly. It was so relieving that the amount of healing and protection I did finally caught up to me and I began to pass out, falling out of the air. As I passed into unconsciousness, I felt Noire's loving arms around me and his words in my ear. This felt great, but one last thought occurred to me as I fell asleep.

"Does this mean I get to come up with name now?"

Author's Note

A few more months and I'm free... to become a working slave to the economy BUT STILL KIND OF FREE! I appreciate each an every one of you who stuck with for the checking how long he's been writing Grim/Noire 5 YEARS that I've been writing this, even during the slow periods where I could even find time to sit down a write some words.

I feel like every time I come back to this, my way of writing has changed, and I can feel it in my words. I don't know how much I've improved since I was a teenager with a mediocre idea, but I'd like to think that the people who are still here are enjoying the work I'm doing (If not, why? Are you masochists? Do you need help?) Feel free to post your opinions in the comments and I'll see you soon (I hope )

Stay dizzy. Wuzzy out.