Friendship and Adventure

Twilight opened her eyes to the sight of faded support beams and cobwebs above her head. The sounds of conversation could be heard through the guest room’s walls, indicating she had woken up somewhat later than usual. But the fact that nobody had come to fetch her meant she couldn’t have slept in too badly.

She took a moment to rub the last remnants of sleep from her eyes before hopping out of her bed and stretching. Last night’s sleep had been pleasant, though, it paled in comparison to the night spent in Castle Ostia, mostly due to the comparatively poor quality of the sheets she’d just slept in. They weren’t as silky smooth as those in the castle, but that was to be expected— a simple inn wouldn’t be able to afford high-quality comfort like an actual seat of government could. All that mattered was that she had slept well enough that her body wasn’t killing her.

She walked over to the vanity alongside the opposite wall and levitated the wooden comb off before making her way outside on her way to the inn’s single washroom. She passed by none of her friends along the way, and she didn’t hear any of their voices coming from the dining room down the hall, or any of the humans, indicating they were all either outside somewhere or still sleeping in. There wasn’t anyone in the washroom either, which was a relief, as she wanted to get rid of her bed head as soon as possible.

A quick cleansing with water and more awfully smelling soap, a careful combing of her mane, and Twilight felt ready to tackle the day with gusto. She stepped back into the hall just as the rest of her friends stepped out of their individual rooms. Rainbow and Applejack were still rubbing the sleep out of their eyes while Fluttershy had a case of bedhead worse than Twilight’s own with her eyes bloodshot. Rusty lay perched on her back, looking ten times more refreshed and alert than the pegasus.

“Hiya girls!” Twilight said, approaching her friends. She would’ve asked if they’d slept well, but the answer was easy to guess for each of them, so instead, she asked, “Ready to start another day here in Remi?”

“I will be once I’ve showered an’ my belly’s full,” Applejack replied, letting out a huge yawn. “Not that I’m expectin’ much in the way of food, but I’ll make do with anything.”

“Ditto,” Rainbow replied simply.

Fluttershy didn’t say anything, but Twilight took her small smile as an indicator that she was on the same page as them both.

“What about Hector and everyone else?” Rainbow asked. “They still asleep?”

Twilight shook her head. “I haven’t been up for too long, so maybe. I’m going to check the dining room, get some breakfast while I’m at it. I want to work together with Canas as much as possible today, so I want to be as alert and energized as I can be.”

“Sounds good, Twi,” Applejack said with a nod and turned down the hall. “I’m gonna hit the showers—Er, I mean… well, you get it.”

“I call first dibs!” Rainbow said, rushing past her down the hall.

“Oh no, you don’t!” Applejack chased after her.

Twilight giggled at her friends’ good-natured rivalry. Fluttershy giggled as well and even Rusty made a series of mewling noises rhythmed after a laugh— the two of them followed after their friends while Twilight went the opposite direction toward the inn’s dining room.

She came to find, to her delight, Canas sitting at a table in a far corner of the room, reading a book with a barely touched bowl of porridge and a glass of water in front of him, his travel pack set to his side. No one else was in the room, save for the woman behind the counter, who smiled and waved at Twilight as she came in.

Twilight crossed the room to join Canas. He looked up from his book as she approached, closing it and setting it down on the table.

“Good morning, Twilight,” he said curtly.

“Good morning, Canas.” Twilight took a seat across from him. “Did you sleep well?”

Canas nodded. “And you?”

Twilight let out a playfully exasperated sigh. “As good as I can get on those beds. I’m completely spoiled by what we have in Equestria, I’ll admit. But I’ll manage for the rest of our stay.”

“That’s good to hear. And, I’ll admit too, sometimes my back suffers after a night’s rest on the beds of these inns.”

Twilight laughed. “By the way, do you know where everyone else is right now? I didn’t see anyone aside from my friends after I woke up.”

“Everyone else has woken up. They’re currently with Fiora watching the ‘bountiful harvest.” He let out a slight chuckle.

“Bountiful harvest?” Realization hit Twilight a moment later. “Oh, all the food has grown, I take it?”

Canas nodded. He took a sip of his water before continuing. “Miss Applejack’s magic is quite impressive. According to Fiora, the vines are at least five feet long and brimming with grapes. I believe the winemakers are especially happy about that.”

“Yeah, AJ’s definitely the best farmer I know,” Twilight replied. “Anyway, I hope you’re up for some more experiments with our magic today. There’s so much more for us to learn!”

Canas laughed heartily. “Of course. Although, I would like to spend some time studying Rainbow Dash’s weather magic. I believe there are a number of things to be learned from that as well.”

That got Twilight curious. “Really? Like what?”

“At a later time. For now, I imagine you would like some breakfast, yes?”

“Sure thing. Scholars need to eat too.”

“Indeed we do.” Canas turned to look at the woman behind the counter. “Bring another serving of porridge and water, please!”

“Coming right up!” she called back and disappeared through an opening into the kitchen.

The two of them passed the time chatting about what kinds of experiments they might conduct during the day. A couple of times, Twilight was tempted to ask what Canas’ reasoning was for wanting to study Rainbow’s pegasus magic, but decided to just wait for him to explain later rather than pester him unnecessarily.

The conversation died down when Twilight’s breakfast was brought out and she began digging in. Soon after, her friends emerged through the entrance to the dining room, looking freshly clean and much more alert. Canas called them over to the table and they all took a seat— three more orders of porridge and water were made, which arrived shortly thereafter. Fluttershy let Rusty scurry away to hunt down his own breakfast outside.

“So, how’re things with everyone else?” Rainbow asked before digging into her food like a wolverine to a carcass. Little globs of porridge splashed around her section of the table.

Canas blinked at the pegasus’ complete sudden lack of etiquette, but smiled all the same and repeated what he’d told Twilight.

“Well, I’m not one to boast,” Applejack said, a ghost of a smug smile appearing across her lips, “but I knew they’d grow big an’ strong soon enough.” She took a nibble of her own porridge.

“Fiora told me to tell you two to meet her at the crops in an hour to use your magic again.” Canas finally took a bite of his own food and a large gulp of water before continuing. “Also, if it’s not too much to ask of you Rainbow Dash, would you mind demonstrating your weather magic for me personally afterward. For study, that is; I’d like to learn more about how you do it.”

Rainbow lifted her face from the bowl, using her tongue to wipe away all traces of food clinging to her mouth. “Sure thing. I’ll tell you everything you wanna know.”

“Thank you.”

The group ate and finished their meals in relative silence after that, all the while Twilight’s curiosity for what Canas wanted to know about Rainbow’s weatherworking did nothing but grow. In the end, she didn’t let it bother her. As long as they got to spend time together studying magic, she didn’t mind if Canas wanted to do the same with her friends.

“Well, that was a good meal,” Rainbow said, rubbing her belly with content and licking her lips. “I’m gonna go take a nap on a cloud before I get to work.”

“But didn’t you just wake up?” Canas asked, confused.

“Don’t you mind her none,” Applejack told him. “Two things ‘sides weatherworking that Rainbow’s good at: boasting and sleeping.”

Rainbow stuck her tongue out at her before zipping off down the hallway toward the inn’s front door.

“Reckon I’ll explore the town a little before work begins.” Applejack got up and started following after Rainbow. “See you all then!” she called back with a wave of her hoof.

“Bye AJ!” Twilight called with a wave herself.

“I’m going to go find Rusty,” Fluttershy announced, getting up out of her seat as well. “And I want to spend some more time with Florina and Fiora. I’ll meet you all in the fields when it’s time.”

She too followed after her friends out the door, leaving Twilight and Canas alone again.

“It seems I was too slow in my decision-making.”

Canas and Twilight turned to see the innkeeper striding over to them. She had her hands behind her back while a mischievous smile split her face.

“Fiora would scold me harshly if she found out I was doing this,” she said upon reaching them. She brought her hands from behind her back, producing a wrapped cloth. She opened it up to reveal a bread roll cut into four, neat little slices. “Let this be a personal token of my gratitude for what you and your friends are doing.”

It took a moment for Twilight to fully grasp the significance of the woman’s offer, but when she did, the resulting surprise was like a jolt to her system.

She frowned up at her. “You’re just giving this to us for free? But why, when you’re all desperate for food?”

The woman giggled. “'Desperate’ is a bit of a stretch. We’re short on supplies, true, but this is Ilia; rationing out supplies and worrying over whether we can feed an entire nation is more or less an accepted part of our lives. We can handle the loss of one little piece of bread. Fiora might think differently, but if she doesn’t know it, then it’s not really a problem, is it?” She winked.

Twilight found herself momentarily at a loss for what to say. Eventually, she lit up her horn and levitated the present out of the woman’s hands, earning a slight gasp from her.

“Wow. Just… wow,” Twilight breathed. She took a moment to inspect the bread slices before setting them down on the table. “Well, thank you very much. But really, my friends Applejack and Rainbow Dash are doing all the work for you guys. They deserve this more than I do.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” the woman replied. “You and that lovely pegasus that just left might not be actively working to aid us, but it was no small feat to travel halfway across Elibe. Even if you’re only here to support your friends, that’s more than enough to deserve a small slice of bread.”

Twilight laughed. “It was a hard journey.”

The innkeeper collected the dishes and turned to return to the kitchen, but not before turning back and saying, “Again, please don’t tell Fiora. Kind as she may be, she’s very capable of giving someone who crosses her an earful.”

“I promise I won’t tell her,” Twilight said.

“You have my word as well,” Canas followed her up.

The innkeeper smiled and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Canas and Twilight truly alone.

“Well then,” Canas said, getting up out of his seat and strapping on his travel pack, “shall we get going?”

Twilight looked into Canas’ still mostly full bowl. “Are you not hungry or something?” she asked.

“Oh,” he said, laughing awkwardly, “I got too distracted by this book I’m reading. It’s infinitely fascinating.” He held up the cover so Twilight could see the title.

“Myths and Legends of Elibe: A Complete Collection,” she read aloud. “That does sound fascinating. What kinds of myths do you have here?”

Canas opened the book back to the page he was reading. “Well, the one I was reading is a supposed recount of one of Roland’s generals. He claims to have fought against a dragon who devoured men’s souls in order to gain greater strength. The author of this book believed the tale to be a myth, an exaggerated recount from the Scouring. After what we witnessed during the war against Nergal two years ago, however, I believe this tale has a large amount of truth to it.”

Twilight was confused at first what he was getting at, but then Hector’s story from the group’s first night on the journey to Ilia resurfaced in her mind. “You think that dragon was harvesting quintessence?”

Canas looked surprised at her. “You know about quintessence?”

“Yeah, Hector told me about Nergal and your group’s encounter with him.”

Canas looked back down to his book. “It makes perfect sense that one could conflate the ‘soul’ with quintessence. It’s reason enough for me to believe this story really happened, or, at least, the base of it without the romantic touches.”

“Probably,” Twilight said, “but it could also be something more simple than that.”

Canas looked at her curiously, so Twilight elaborated.

“All living creatures need to eat to survive and stay healthy— if dragons are straight up carnivores here, then it makes sense that one might seek out humans for sustenance, especially during a war between the two species.”

Canas looked thoughtful for a short while, pondering over her theory. “That makes sense too, I suppose.”

“Maybe that’s what caused the Scouring?” Twilight suggested. “A lack of available resources for both races? Maybe they ended up having to fight each other for food and territory.”

“What few accounts that survived from the earliest days of the Scouring say that the humans instigated the war with a sudden onslaught, but the exact details have been lost to time,” Canas explained. “I don’t doubt that humans and dragons would’ve gone to war over dwindling resources, but there are some who theorize the humans grew afraid of the dragons’ overwhelming power, and that’s what actually sparked a war between the two.”

“Interesting,” Twilight said. “That actually isn’t too different from ponies, truth be told.”

“Oh?” Canas said.

“The three types of ponies — unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies — used to be at each others’ throats all the time, but were eventually brought together in the spirit of friendship after being threatened by spirits called windigoes that grew in power from hatred and used that power to freeze the land. Although—” her face scrunched up uncomfortably, “—we rarely, if ever, turned to bloodshed.”

“Interesting,” Canas echoed her. “Do you believe there’s significance to that?”

An idea sparked in Twilight’s mind. If the topic at hoof was a puzzle, then all the ideas they exchanged was the assemblance of the puzzle pieces needed to solve it. And she had an inkling as to how they all fit together. For the time being, however, she set the puzzle aside and stood up.

“Maybe,” she answered, “but we can worry about it later.” She got up out of her seat, taking hold of the wrapped bread slices in her magic.

“Of course. Let’s go.” Canas got up out of his own seat.

The two left the dining room and exited the inn, coming out to the freezing morning atmosphere. The work Rainbow had done yesterday to warm things up had been erased, with Ilia’s predominantly cold climate asserting control once again. At least until Rainbow worked her magic again later in the morning after her nap.

People were going about their daily lives, wearing appropriate clothing as per the climate. Twilight could sense an aura of relief emanating from all the townsfolk as she passed by them. No doubt, after her friends’ display yesterday, they were less concerned about their current predicament.

As they walked through the town, however, Twilight noticed a consistent trend in the various ways the townsfolk reacted to her presence. Little kids would look at her like she was Santa Hooves coming to give them presents while the younger-looking adults would simply smile or even curtsey, but a number of elders went so far as to kneel on the ground and mutter under their breath with their hands clasped together, which confused her greatly.

“They have much reverence for you,” Canas explained when she asked him what they were doing. “And if they’re going so far as to pray to you, they probably see you and your friends as goddesses from on high, come to solve Ilia’s plight.”

Twilight blinked. “Why would they believe ‘goddesses from on high’ look like colorful ponies rather than something that more closely resembles themselves?”

“Power like yours isn’t something they’re capable of associating with anything other than divinity. Maybe if you take the time to explain your origin they’ll understand and stop treating you like that if you’re uncomfortable with it?”

Twilight shrugged. “I suppose. And it’s not that I’m uncomfortable being treated with so much reverence; I just don’t think I deserve it as much as Dash and AJ.”

“Even after what the innkeeper said?”

“I get what she said, and I don’t disagree with it, per se. But it still doesn’t feel right.”

“I understand, Twilight, even if I can’t quite relate to it myself,” Canas said. “No one aside from those who were a part of Eliwood’s army is aware of the war against Nergal, and we never revere each other to the same degree as what you’re experiencing.”

“It’s not something that upsets me, let me just make that clear,” Twilight said as the two of them left the village proper. There was a small clearing near the crop fields they’d used the previous day and would use again to conduct their combined magic studies.

“If it ever does, I’ll be more than happy to lend a helpful ear,” Canas promised with a smile.

Twilight smiled back. “Thank you, Canas.”

The two continued on in silence until they reached their destination, whereupon they immediately got to work. One of their next goals was to see how well Twilight’s magic might be able to copy the basic properties of light and anima magic as seen among Etrurian mages. Mostly, they had decided it would be wise to prepare Twilight in case her return trip to Castle Ostia saw her pitted up against such magic users. Being able to strike from a distance without breaking her illusion spell would be an invaluable advantage. Not to say she had serious intentions of getting herself involved in combat. She hadn’t entertained the notion at first, but then Hector told her that they didn’t have much protection against combat mages. On the off chance that they came across bandits wielding magic, there was very little Hector, Oswin, and Florina could do to adequately defend the group. Having a magic user of their own would be an invaluable advantage.

To that end, and because Twilight had very few spells with offensive capabilities at her disposal already, she agreed to at least try to get her magic up to snuff. She hoped she wouldn’t need to use it on their return journey, but it was always better to be safe than sorry.

They spent the next forty-five or so minutes testing Twilight’s potential to imitate both light and anima magic, with her only point of reference being a few books Canas had on various magic theories written by famous Elibean scholars. As it turned out, anima magic was far more easy to pull off than light magic, owing mainly to the fact that the former had more roots in science than the latter, thus, making it more easy for her to understand. For example, all she needed to pull off a basic Fire spell was to pull the necessary molecules from the atmosphere together in the correct manner and bingo! instant flame.

“Well, that wasn’t too hard,” she said, staring at the ball of fire floating in her magic before her and relishing in the warmth it provided against the cold Ilian air. She juggled it a little with her magic, careful not to lose her grip on it. “Then again, my special talent lies with magic in general. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if there exist spells in Equestria that can produce this kind of result that I’ve yet to come across.”

“Do you believe you’ll be able to defend your friends should the time come?” Canas asked.

Twilight bit her lip. Of course, she’d do anything to protect those she cared about, but even still, she couldn’t submerge the hesitance exerting its hold on her mind. But she decided she’d sort that all out later when she didn’t need to concentrate on any kind of studies like right now.

They spent the next while testing Twilight’s faux anima magic against Canas’ actual ‘dark’ magic. According to Canas, anima had a natural weakness to the type of elder magic he wielded, so figuring out whether Twilight’s imitation could pass for the real thing was a simple matter to test.

Over and over they launched their spells, aiming off to the side toward the surrounding treeline so as to not risk hitting each other. The spells all collided with each other in miniature explosions of cinders and shadow, but Canas’ shots always survived the blast and continued onward. They repeated this process for several minutes before stopping to take a break, needing to rest after casting so many spells in quick succession.

“I think the evidence is clear, Twilight,” Canas said between breaths, smiling at her. “You’ve successfully copied fire anima magic.”

Twilight blushed a little at the praise. “I don’t think it’s anything to write home about, though. It was rather easy, but thanks all the same.”

Canas looked up to the sky, specifically, at the sun’s position. “I suppose we should go now. I imagine they’ll be starting soon.”

Twilight nodded her agreement. “Of course.”

The two set off at a brisk pace back the way they’d come, making a turn back down the trail leading to the crop fields. A sizable crowd could be seen gathered around it as they approached, though not as big as the one yesterday. Not everyone in the village could spare the time to witness it again, evidently.

Canas and Twilight took a place beside their friends just as Fiora gave Rainbow the signal to begin. The pegasus shot up into the sky in an eye’s blink, but a rummaging sound beside Twilight caught her attention. Turning, she saw Canas pull out a corked inkwell, quill, and a book from his travel pack. He uncorked the inkwell, dipped in the quill, and opened the book to a blank page before returning his attention to Rainbow Dash.

All throughout Rainbow’s bout of weather control, Canas would observe the pegasus’ actions, scribbling down a few notes from time to time, a look of fierce concentration on his normally neutral face. Twilight let her curiosity get the better of her a couple of times and peeked down at his notes, but his handwriting was a bit too intricate to decipher with just a casual glance.

Rainbow finished clearing the sky in good time, allowing the sun to shine through. Twilight relished in the warm sunshine on her coat while many of the humans who were wearing extra winter clothes immediately discarded them once the sun broke through.

Applejack was up next and did her part just as well as the previous day, which also meant she looked just as exhausted as she did then afterward. The crowd’s cheers were every bit as passionate and excited as they were yesterday as well. Even with fewer people, Twilight found the energy to be incredibly infectious, and a warm feeling had filled her gut by the time Applejack was done and the second column of crops was planted.

“Doesn’t get any better the second time,” Applejack breathed, her face red with exhaustion. She came over to the group. “Always gonna need a rest after I’ve spent so much magic all at once.”

“Of course,” Fiora said. “You’ve undoubtedly earned it.”

“Before you go,” Twilight said as Applejack turned to head back to the village, “I’ve got something for you. For all of us.” She looked at each of her friends, gesturing for them to huddle together.

They all did so, confusion clear in their faces. Twilight made sure Fiora’s eyesight was blocked before she levitated the cloth-wrapped breadsticks in front of them. She unwrapped the cloth, and her friends’ eyes widened.

“It’s a gift from the innkeeper,” she explained while passing around the bread slices. “Make sure nobody sees you eat it.”

“That was nice of her,” Fluttershy said as she tucked the food underneath her wing.

Applejack put the food underneath her hat while Rainbow stuffed the entire thing into her mouth, swallowing after a short few seconds of chewing. Twilight blipped the bread slice into her pocket dimension for later consumption. She relished a little in the confused stares everyone in the crowd was giving them and returned Canas’ sly wink when she turned to him.

“Well, I’m gonna go hit the hay,” Applejack announced, turning down the path. “You’re welcome again fer the help, everyone!”

She trotted away, waving goodbye to her friends who all waved back. Much of the crowd followed after her, but kept a fair distance out of respect for her personal space, as they returned to the village now that the show was over.

“I feel I could use some rest too,” Serra announced. “Standing around does ill for my feeble legs. One of noble blood must be in peak condition at all times.”

No one bothered arguing with her assertion, watching as she followed after the crowd.

Oswin turned to Hector. “What now, Lord Hector?”

“Whatever you want, Oswin. Consider yourself free for the time being.”

“Then I shall act as your guard wheresoever you may go.”

“Fair enough.” Hector turned down the trail. “I’m going to go take a walk along the beach. Maybe skip some stones.”

“I shall be at your side the entire time, my lord.”

The two split from the group.

Twilight turned to Fiora. “Not much to do for fun here, is there?”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Fiora replied. “The children have plenty of games and toys to amuse themselves with. The adults might not have as much time for pleasure, but they have hobbies to keep them amused in the time they do have.”

“Hector likes to take some time to reflect every so often,” Florina explained. “I imagine he needs it, with how stressful being Marquess is.”

“Makes sense, I guess,” Rainbow said, shrugging.

“Miss Rainbow Dash?” Canas spoke up.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“May you provide me with that demonstration of your power, now?”

“Sure thing,” she replied. “Can you copy it for yourself or something? What are you planning on doing with it?”

Canas laughed. “I can’t copy it myself. Perhaps I should clarify: I’m interested more so in learning the details of how you use your magic, rather than how the magic itself works.”

“That’s cool, but why?”

Twilight listened intently as Canas finally explained his motives.

“The people of Ilia have adapted well to this country’s harsh winters, but to never have to worry about it would be a blessing. After witnessing your weather magic myself, a flash of inspiration struck. My elder magic has a natural advantage over anima magic, which is derived from the forces of nature itself. With the proper study and training, it might be possible to use my magic to push back snow storms and the like. At least, that’s my theory.”

“Oh, my,” Fiora gasped, “do you truly mean that, Canas?”

Canas nodded.

“That would be amazing,” Florina breathed. Her eyes glistened a little and her mouth split into a wide, happy grin. “If it could be done, it would make the people of this country very happy.”

“That is my wish,” Canas said, bowing before her.

“That does sound very nice,” Fluttershy remarked.

“It’s quite an ambitious undertaking,” Twilight said.

“And totally awesome,” Rainbow said and turned to everyone else. “Y’all wanna stay and watch or what?”

“Oh, um, I think I’d rather go for a walk also,” Fluttershy replied. “I’d like to see some of the sights before we have to leave.”

“There’s a nice little grotto a small walk from the village,” Fiora said. “I could take you there if you want. It might not be so beautiful, though, what with all the snow.”

“I think that sounds lovely,” Fluttershy said, smiling wide. “Sure thing.”

“I’ll join you two if that’s okay,” Florina said.

“Of course you’re welcome, Sister,” Fiora said.

The three took off in a different direction from the crowd, waving goodbye to Rainbow, Canas, and Twilight, who all waved back while wishing them to be safe.

“So,” Rainbow said once they were alone, turning to Canas, “how do you wanna do this?”

“Well, I believe I’ve gleaned as much as I can just by observing your earlier efforts,” Canas replied, holding up his book. “I’d like to see how your magic is performed up close if that’s at all safe.”

“Sure thing. Wait right here.”

Rainbow zipped up into the sky. She returned about five seconds later, holding a decently-sized piece of cloud in her hooves. She let it go to hover in place between her and Canas.

“So, what do ya want me to do? Buck it or something?” she asked.

“Yes, please.” Canas put his quill to the book again, ready to take more notes.

Rainbow turned around and stretched her hind legs forward, her brows furrowing with concentration. She struck out in an eye’s blink, hitting the cloud dead on. It dissipated instantly, turning into thin wisps of mist which quickly dissolved in the air. Canas scribbled a few notes before nodding and meeting her expectant gaze.

“Am I correct in assuming you discharged an exceptionally large quantity of magic upon contact with the cloud?”

Rainbow nodded. “Pretty much. Pegasus magic is divided evenly between our wings and hooves, whereas earth ponies have it all in their hooves and unicorns in their horns. It’s how we’re born, but we still have to practice in order to get good at it, kinda like learning how to swim. I’ve been practicing all my life, so my magic is super extra strong and I have lots of it to spare; it’s how I can clear the whole sky all on my own.”

“Interesting.” Canas scribbled a few more notes down.

Twilight found herself wryly amused by Canas’ enthusiasm over learning about pegasus magic. It was a study she knew quite a lot about, despite not being a pegasus herself. Watching Canas being so enraptured by it was like looking into a mirror, watching her past self spend sleepless nights reading books on a subject she knew was out of her reach, but relished in the thrill of learning new things no matter how frivolous simply because gaining knowledge was tantamount to breathing.

Canas, on the other hoof, was doing it for a specific purpose. It made Twilight’s own motivation seem petty, even selfish, by comparison, but she didn’t let it gnaw at her. If Equestria had similar living conditions to Ilia, Twilight knew she’d be doing much the same as Canas to try and make life better for her friends and family. She held him in high regard for that, even more so than his shared love of reading. She could see their friendship lasting for a very long time after the journey was over.

“Anything else you wanna know?” Rainbow asked once Canas was done writing.

“Not much,” he replied. “Although, it would be nice to see you use your magic on a larger scale up close.”

“You mean how I cleared the sky earlier?”

“Yes.” A wistful smile crossed Canas’ face. “But alas, I cannot fly like you.”

“Oh, that wouldn’t be an issue,” Twilight spoke up, drawing their attention.

She lit up her horn and a purple aura enshrouded Canas’ feet, earning a shocked gasp from the mage, before disappearing after a second. Canas turned his surprised face to Twilight.

“What…?” was all he managed to utter.

Twilight puffed out her chest, allowing herself a moment of pride in her magical prowess. “Cloud-walking spell. It’s fairly simple to cast.” She lit her horn again and cast the spell on her own hooves. “Now we can watch Rainbow’s talent as up close as we want without needing wings.”

Canas was silent for a few moments as his brain undoubtedly struggled at first to form a coherent response. Twilight took a small amount of pleasure in his shocked countenance.

“So… I can walk on clouds now?” he finally managed to ask.

“Just until the spell wears off, which shouldn’t be for a while,” Twilight explained.

“That’s…” Canas trailed off. He put his free hand to his forehead, seemingly overwhelmed by the realization. “That’s truly amazing.” A flash of reverence filled his eyes as he regarded her, making Twilight shift uncomfortably, her previous pride being cast aside by awkward tension. “What some people wouldn’t give to have such an ability, and you regard it as a casual amusement.”

“Well, yeah, I guess.” Twilight managed to push away the rising awkwardness, smiling earnestly. “Of course you’d be awed if it was something you could only ever dream of. But don’t think your magic is any less amazing!” she hastened to add.

Canas’ awe melted away and his face turned neutral. “As you say.” He turned to Rainbow Dash. “Now then, there’s still the matter of reaching the clouds. Would it be foolish of me to assume you’re strong enough to carry me?”

“Probably, yeah,” Rainbow replied. “But wait right here. I’ll make a platform that you can ride on.”

Rainbow shot up into the sky, returning a short while later with a section of cloud about three times Canas’ size. “Gimme a little bit and I’ll have it ready for you.”

She spent the next couple of minutes reshaping the cloudstuff, flattening and stretching it and making every side evenly surfaced. The end result was a white, fluffy platform about ten square feet in area. Little wisps of cloud vapor trailed off at the edges but otherwise looked as solidly built and sturdy as any traditional building foundation.

Once she was done, Rainbow looked to Canas and Twilight and gestured with her hooves. “All aboard!” she said, mimicking a train conductor.

Canas’ first few steps toward the cloud platform were slow and hesitant while his face was a mask of nervousness. Twilight took the initiative and stepped ahead of him.

“It’s okay, Canas. See?” She put one hoof up onto the cloudstuff; it was as solid as the ground. She followed suit with the rest of her hooves and turned around to face Canas, giving him a reassuring smile. “It’s perfectly safe, just so long as you don’t step off when we’re high up.”

“Right, of course.” Canas closed the distance between them. He lifted a foot up, pausing mid-step as another bout of hesitation washed over him. Quickly, though, a flash of confidence struck and he set his foot upon the cloud. It held firm underneath and soon his other leg joined the first.

“Pretty exciting, huh?” Twilight asked.

Canas didn’t respond right away. Silently, stoically, he regarded both her and Rainbow Dash, then the cloud platform, then the ground underneath them before finally grinning freakishly wide, giving him a maniacal look that reminded Twilight of how her friends usually described her looking whenever she went over the edge.

“This is… This is…”

Twilight could practically feel the awe emanating off of him. Canas’ breathing turned deep and rapid and he held a hand to his chest. Or, rather, tried to, but his book got in the way, muting his attempt to slow down his rapidly pounding heart.

“Hey, uh, you okay there?” Rainbow asked with a thin-lipped frown. “You sure you can handle this?”

“Yes, yes, everything’s alright.” Canas closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He inhaled, held his breath for a moment, then exhaled. He repeated this process a few times before he seemingly regained some semblance of calm. He regarded Twilight and Rainbow with a face befitting a foal who’d received their expressly desired gift on their birthday from their parents. “This is such an incredible opportunity you two have afforded me. Words cannot express my full gratitude, but thank you.” He held up his supplies. “I intend to make the most of this chance.”

“Well all right then.” Rainbow fluttered underneath the cloud platform. “Hang on tight!” she called.

Canas’ mental state was a mixture of fear and euphoric bliss, his hands clutching his possessions tight against his chest. The sky drew closer the higher up they went, but he didn’t dare turn his gaze down towards the ground lest he risk losing his composure. Having never flown on a pegasus before, he wasn’t particularly adept to heights, a fact he was now coming to realize. Thankfully, it was easy to keep his gaze upward as Rainbow took them to a spot off to the side from where she’d cleared the sky earlier.

In a few seconds, he would get to witness the sky above the clouds, a sight known only to pegasus knights and the gods themselves. Not only that but getting to witness Rainbow Dash’s weather magic up close was a dream come true for the scholar in him. No doubt, this research could lead to new developments in the various magical studies taught and practiced all across Elibe. But beyond even that, he found much enjoyment just in relishing the experience itself. The wind rushing across his face and through his hair was refreshing and the cloud platform itself even felt nice to the touch. He couldn’t directly touch it with his hands full, but he could feel its pleasantly soft texture through his clothes. It also had a springy quality to it that Canas resolved to study while he had this chance.

“Heh, looks like we got the attention of everyone in the village,” Rainbow said from her position under the platform, though, her voice was somewhat drowned out by the rushing wind.

Canas didn’t bother looking over the edge of the platform, choosing to take Rainbow’s word for it instead.

“You’re looking happy,” Twilight said from beside him.

Canas nodded but didn’t turn to look at her. “I could only ever imagine what it feels like to fly, not being a pegasus knight or a wyvern rider. This—” he shifted his stuff to one hand to gesture at the cloud platform, “—is a present to my inner child, I suppose you could say.”

Twilight chuckled. “I’m glad to hear that.” She was silent for a few moments before speaking again in a slightly more wistful tone. “Ever since the Singularity came into being, I’d often worried how that connection could spell disaster for entire worlds. Seeing you happy like this helps me believe that whatever issues could arise from it aren’t worth the fuss.”

Canas finally turned to look at Twilight— her face was just as wistful as her tone. “I don’t doubt it could indeed cause problems,” he replied. “But to be able to experience things such as this—” again he gestured to the cloud platform, “—is a privilege many people would sacrifice so much to have. And I didn’t have to give up anything for it.”

Twilight’s eyes closed for a moment as her smile enlarged slightly. She was obviously touched by his words.

“Next stop: Top of the clouds!” Rainbow called.

Canas looked up to see that they’d finally reached the edge of the cleared sky. Gently, Rainbow Dash brought the cloud platform next to the outer rim and conjoined the two. They came together without a sound, bouncing a little from the force as Rainbow secured the cloudstuff together.

Canas turned his gaze all around, feeling the breath leave him as he beheld the sight above the cloud layer.

A sea of clouds stretched as far as could be seen everywhere he looked, meeting the clear blue sky at the horizon. Some clouds were puffy and billowing, towering above the cloudscape in a display of natural beauty the likes of which he’d rarely witnessed, and never before so close up. A thought suddenly occurred to Canas and he cast his gaze upward. The stars were shrouded under the cover of daylight, but to be able to see them from this vantage, and under a full moon, he was sure would leave him utterly speechless.

He made his way to the edge of the cloud platform, his footsteps making no sound against the cloud’s surface. This time, he stepped off without any hesitation. He walked forward a little bit before hopping in place, testing the durability of the cloud layer now that he could safely walk on it. It held firm. Tightening his one-handed grip on his supplies, he knelt down and tried to touch the cloud, only for his hand to go right through it.

“Interesting,” he muttered. He turned back to Twilight. “So your spell only works on one’s legs, I presume?”

“It works in accordance with the body’s lowest point of gravity,” Twilight explained. “If you tripped and fell forward, that lowest point would become your stomach, and you’d be saved from falling through.” She grimaced. “I wouldn’t recommend testing its limits, though; the spell’s not entirely foolproof.”

“I see,” Canas said, standing back up and using both hands to hold his stuff. “I’ll heed your warning.”

It was at that moment that Rainbow Dash burst up through the clouds next to them. She took a moment to shake off some clinging cloudstuff before turning to them.

“So, how’re ya feeling, Canas?” she asked.

“Oh, I’m feeling quite splendid,” he replied happily. “This—” he swept his hand at the cloudscape all around them, “—could only elicit joy from someone who isn’t blind.”

“Good,” Rainbow said with a nod. “How about your body? Are you feeling cold or anything?”

“... A little bit, perhaps.” Truthfully, Canas had been too caught up in his euphoric bliss to notice such a change. Now that it was brought to his attention, however, he realized the cold this high up was quite potent. Chills ran down the lengths of his limbs while his fingers were noticeably growing numb. His breath came out in visible bursts and his teeth threatened to chatter— not that he was going to let that stop him from conducting his research. He shifted his book and quill into one hand while holding out the open inkwell in the other to Twilight. “Would you mind holding my ink for me, Twilight?” he asked with a little more cold stuttering than he would’ve liked.

Thankfully, the ponies didn’t comment on it. Twilight took the inkwell in her magic and said, “Of course.”

“Thank you.”

Rainbow flexed both her wings and hooves before hovering a short distance away from them both. “Hope you’re good at taking notes quick, Canas,” she said smugly. “‘Cause if there’s one thing I don’t do, it’s slow.”

Canas waved a reassuring hand. “Do not worry about me. Just work as you normally would and I’ll keep pace to the best of my ability.”

“And how good is that?” Rainbow asked, sounding genuinely curious.

“Rest assured, I will be fine.” He opened his book to the next empty page and dipped his quill in the inkwell. “Just focus on giving me the best demonstration of your magic.”

“Oh, don’t you worry,” Rainbow said brashly, “I never give anything less than my best.”

Rainbow positioned herself a farther distance away from the two of them, ready to begin her demonstration.

“She loves to come out on top, doesn’t she?” Canas whispered to Twilight.

Twilight snorted a laugh. “Like you wouldn’t believe.”