I'm lighter than air. Weightless. Sweetie Belle concentrates on her current task. Focus. Remain calm. Feel the magic course through you. She hears the words float inside her own brain. With one final calm breath she pushes the magic to the tip of her horn. A warm sensation comes over her body. Slowly she opens her eyes.
"Did it work?" she asks looking over towards her instructor.
"Only one way to find out," replies the purple alicorn princess standing before her. "Here, hop on this," she says while quickly flying up and snatching a small cloud that was loitering around the tree looking castle. The alicorn princess moves it down towards the ground and in front of Sweetie Belle. "If you've cast the spell right then you should be able to stand on top of this cloud. If not, well, then you'll just pass right through."
"Okay here it goes!" Sweetie Belle jumps up. Please work. Nervous energy surges through her as she prays that the cloud walking spell was cast properly. Next thing Sweetie knows she's standing on top of the cloud as if it's just any other solid surface. "Yes! I did it!" she hollers. She lifts her legs up and down testing the cloud. It feels like walking on a soft mattress.
"Very well done Sweetie Belle. You're quickly becoming a natural. If you didn't already have your cutie mark then I would have assumed magic was your special talent."
Sweetie Belle hops off the cloud smiling at the compliment. "Thanks Twilight, but it's only because I've got you as my teacher."
"Cloud walking, gem finding, and water repel all successfully cast in just under two weeks. You keep this up and I'll be teaching you barrier spells and teleportation pretty soon," giggles Twilight with a proud smile. Sweetie Belle grins widely. She knows those are extremely advanced techniques and that she's nowhere near learning them. However, it does make her feel good that Twilight has so much faith in her magic abilities.
"Hey Twilight can I ask you something?" Sweetie asks, thinking about a question.
"Sure. What's on your mind my young pupil?"
"Can you teach me how to zap things with my magic? I've seen you and Rarity and several other unicorns do it before. It seems pretty common so it can't be that hard, right?" She smiles up at her teacher with big eyes. It'd be so cool to learn this and show it to the other Crusaders. Her excitement builds at the idea of knowing such a potentially powerful spell.
"I don't think that's a good idea," answers Twilight hesitantly. "The type of spell you're talking about takes the raw magic inside a pony and blasts it out as a projectile. It can be quite dangerous for a young unicorn like yourself who is still tapping into their magical potential."
"But what if there's an emergency. I like all the cool spells you've taught me but none of them are very useful in an emergency." Pleads Sweetie Belle hoping to learn something that'll awe her friends.
Twilight stomps her hoof down and says sternly, "Sorry, but it's just too dangerous." She doesn't say it with any anger or frustration but just rather in a 'matter of fact' way. Sweetie Belle lowers her head and sighs feeling a little disappointed. "But how bout I teach you the prelude spell to teleportation?" Sweetie looks up grinning and starts nodding her head. Twilight gives her a smile and a wink.
"Okay, there are typically two spells cast when a unicorn attempts teleportation. One is the actual teleportation spell and the other is a spell that allows the unicorn to sense if there is going to be any objects in the area to which they are teleporting. This is so they don't accidently teleport into a tree or anything else. Eventually it becomes second nature and you won't even realize you're casting it when you go to teleport, but it is vital to master before real teleportation is ever attempted. It'll take quite awhile to learn. Do you understand?" Twilight pauses and stares at Sweetie Belle. She nods her head in comprehension. "Good. Once you've mastered this we can start working on teleportation itself..."
"I'm gonna learn teleportation next!" shouts Sweetie Belle in glee.
"Once you've mastered the location spell," replies Twilight while the young filly excitedly hops around her. "But first you must know this spell like you know your own name. You have to be able to cast it subconsciously."
"Alright than, what are we waiting for?" squeaks the giddy filly.
"What you'll need to do is focus, remain calm, and feel the magic that courses through you. Once you've got it project it out softly. It'll almost feel like letting out a very slow and gentle breath from your horn. After that you'll guide it to the area you wanna go and you should be able to feel if anything is there."
Focus, remain calm, feel the magic, and project it out. Sweetie recaps the instructions in her mind. There's a small fizzling sound coming from her horn and then, POP! "Aaagh!" screams the startled unicorn filly.
"Sweetie Belle you okay?" asks a worried Twilight who is standing over her. Apparently the pop had caused her to fall over backwards.
"Yeah, I'm fine. My horns a little sore though." Gently Sweetie Belle rubs her horn, wincing slightly at the tingling feeling.
"You put too much force into the projection of the spell, that's why is sparked and backlashed. Though it might not be entirely your fault. We did just teach you the cloud walking spell and have been practicing for about an hour. Your magic probably needs a break. We can try again in a couple of days and I'm sure you'll get it." Twilight helps Sweetie up and brushes off some dirt on the fillies white coat.
"Okay Twilight. Thanks for the lesson." Sweetie Belle continues to touch her still tingling horn. "Umm, should my horn feel funny? All tingly like?" asks Sweetie with a bit of concern dripping into her voice.
"Tingling horn huh? Classic symptom of magical overload. It's another reason why you'll need a break. Promise me you won't use magic for a couple of days. Some light levitation is fine but any somewhat challenging spells will start to drain you physically." Twilight bends down and her horn starts to glow. She touches the glowing tip of her horn to the base of Sweetie Belle's horn and the tingling sensation Sweetie had been feeling goes away.
"Woah. What did you just do? I feel so much better now." The little filly smiles widely. She glances around teeming with energy.
"It's basically a band aid spell for magic. It'll give you energy for now and cover up the discomfort in your horn. The effects don't last long but Rarity should know some herbal tea recipes that should help if it starts to hurt again. Most importantly I need you to not cast any spells. Do you understand?" Twilight asks unsure if Sweetie had heard her before.
"Only light levitation, got it. Don't worry Twilight I'll be careful." And with that the two ponies said there goodbyes and Sweetie Belle started to head towards her home at Carousel Boutique. She skipped along the road humming a sweet tune to herself. Her body bounced with each step. The energy Twilight gave her made her feel like she had just eaten a dozen cupcakes and was experiencing the best sugar rush of her life.
After the short walk she arrived at the boutique and entered the building. "Rarity I'm home!" she yells in a singsong voice similar to the one her sister frequently uses. "You won't believe all the awesome stuff Twilight is teaching me." Sweetie enters the kitchen attached to the boutique's main room. Sitting at the table in the kitchen is Sweetie's sister Rarity as well as her sister's friend Applejack.
"I can't wait to hear all about it Sweetie but as you can see we have a guest," says Rarity with a smile as she looks down at her sister.
"Ah shucks Rarity ya ain't got to treat me like anything other than family. Go ahead sugar cube what did ya learn from Twilight today?" asks the orange farm pony. Applejack always has an honest and trustworthy feel to her. When she asks you how your day went it's because she actually wants to know.
"First she taught me how to cast the cloud walking spell. I even managed to cast it right on my first try. Twilight says I'm a natural but I don't know about that. Anyway, the best part is she's starting to teach me teleportation." Between the energy from Twilight's spell and the reopened feelings of excitement the little filly starts to hop in place.
"Teleportation?" Rarity stares jaw slightly open in shock. "I can't even cast a teleportation spell."
"Well congratulations Sweetie Belle. That sounds mighty impressive." Applejack gives her a smile and a slight nod of her Stetson covered head.
Out of no where a sharp pain pierces Sweetie Belle's horn. "Ow!" she gasps. She halts her bouncing and places her hooves on her horn. A familiar tingling sensation starts to coat her horn.
"Sweetie you alright?" an alarmed Rarity asks, scanning her for any obvious injury. Applejack also looks worried.
"Yeah I'm okay. Twilight said it's magical overload. She used some magic to make it go away but said it'd be temporary, so it must of worn off." Sweetie Belle continued to gently rub her horn. With the exception of the random jolt of pain a second ago her horn didn't hurt. The tingling sensation just remains and is extremely annoying and uncomfortable.
"Magic overload, that makes sense. Here let me make you some tea." Rarity gets up from the table and trots over towards a cabinet. "I remember my first magic overload. What a terrible feeling. It is just the worst."
Rarity continues to grab a few ingredients and then proceeds to fill a kettle with water. While she is preparing the tea Applejack leans down towards Sweetie Belle. "Apple Bloom and I are thinking about going on another camping trip to Winsome Falls. I was gonna ask Rarity if y'all wanted to come but I figured you'd have better luck convince her now that you're here."
Sweetie Belle's face lit up. The tingling feeling of her horn momentarily forgotten about as her eyes widen. "That sounds like so much fun!" she yells in a high pitch causing her voice to crack a little.
"What does?" asks Rarity glancing over from where she's at by the stove. Sweetie Belle dashes over towards her sister who is placing the tea kettle on the stove top.
"Rarity do you wanna go camping again? Sister bonding time."
"Oh, I don't know I might have an order that day. When is it?" she asks with a small nervous laugh.
"Tomorrow," Applejack answers from across the room.
"Tomorrow? Well that simply won't do. I'm far to busy." She answers with a slight chuckle that seems sort of out of place. Sweetie Belle's ears droop just a little as she gazes up giving her sister the puppy dog eyes. Begging with out words.
"You're lyin'," casual responds Applejack. Rarity glances past her sister towards the farm pony. Giving her an unappreciative glare. Applejack shrugs. "You always nervously laugh when you lie. It's pretty obvious."
"Please Rarity. Don't you wanna spend time with your little sister?" Sweetie Belle's lip starts to quiver as she lowers her head so she can raise her eyes more.
Rarity sighs with a humph. "Fine how many days?"
"Two," replies Applejack. "Don't fret none Rares. It'll be just like the other time. I'm about to go invite Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo as well. It'll be fun."
"Which other time? The time we got trapped by those dreadful bugs or the time Scootaloo nearly drowned and fell off a waterfall?" Rarity deadpanned. Sweetie Belle grimaced at the thought of Scootaloo almost meeting her end. Scootaloo was her first friend and just the thought that she had come so close to death scared Sweetie even now.
"There's been a few hiccups but in the end everything turns out alright," Applejack responds unfazed by the valid points Rarity made. "Well I better get going. You wouldn't happen to know where RD is would ya?"
"Actually I do. Thunderlane came in here earlier to 'shop', or so her said. I think he was just trying to flirt with me." Rarity rolled her eyes and shook her head at the memory.
"That sounds like Thunderlane alright. So where's RD?" Applejack asks again.
"All members of Ponyville's weather team, including part timers like Rainbow Dash, are meeting on the south side of town to prepare for a giant storm that's passing by," answers Rarity.
"A storm? There's no storm scheduled for Ponyville."
"It would appear as though they're just helping the Cloudsdale team pass it through. The storm is suppose it hit some smaller villages on the other side of the Everfree Forest." Applejack responded with a nod of understanding and started to stand from her seat. "Although I suppose we may still get some rain. If we're going camping I need to know if I need to pack my rain coat and boots. If it's all the same to you Applejack, may I pass the invite along to Rainbow? That way I can ask about the weather."
"Sure. Heck, it ain't no sweat off my back. Just one less thing to do. See you tomorrow Rarity. You too Sweetie Belle." And with those parting words Applejack exits Carousel Boutique while Rarity and Sweetie Belle wave her off with their own words of farewell.
After pouring her sister and herself some of the herbal tea to help Sweetie get past her magical overload Rarity prepares to head out to find Rainbow Dash. "Well Sweetie, would you like to accompany me while I go find Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asks turning towards her sister right before she exits her home and place of business.
"Sure, maybe Scootaloo will be there too," Sweetie Belle replies with excitement. The two unicorn sisters leave Carousel Boutique and head towards the south part of town where Rainbow Dash and the rest of the weather team are said to be.
Speed. Raw power. Complete and total awesomeness. Rainbow Dash zooms left and right amongst all the pegasus ponies in the sky. "Good job everybody keep it up!" Rainbow has to shout over the gusts they're creating.
Two days ago Dash got the news that Cloudsdale needed to move a large storm past Ponyville. Due to the sheer size of the storm they couldn't guarantee it wouldn't cause damage if it passed over head. The plan was for all members of the Ponyville weather team to create a strong localized wind stream to work as a layer of defense if the storm got to close to town. If any of the clouds started to drift they'd get caught in the wind and carried around the town instead of over it.
It wouldn't be much longer now before the winds were strong enough to self sustain themselves for a couple days. The storm is apparently too large to pass by in just one day so they have to create enough wind power to keep it going for at least two.
The letter from Cloudsdale originally said to split the weather team into two groups. Each group would then have to split the time required. Keeping a steady stream over the course of the two days. Not being a fan of having to work almost two days straight Rainbow Dash devised a different plan. Her plan called for asking Twilight Sparkle for help.
Given such a unique problem Twilight had been more than willing to help out. She discovered that if they used the natural updrafts from Ghastly Gorge with enough wing power that they might be able to make a temporary self sustaining cyclone that surrounded the town. The only extra pieces it would need is a spell she'd cast and a trigger.
Honestly when Twilight was describing it to her Rainbow Dash didn't really understand or pay attention. After several attempts of trying to explain it to Rainbow the purple alicorn princess told Dash that it was like a fire. It'd burn on it's own for awhile but eventually would burn out, and also like a fire it'd need to be ignited. Dash understood that and after a brief and simplified explanation Dash learned that she was gonna be the igniter.
"Just a little more team!" Dash shouts once more to the other members of the weather team. Checking her wing power measuring device Dash waits in anticipation as the numbers slowly rise closer to the required number. Twilight had told her that the spell would already be in place and would start working once dash ignited it with a Sonic Rainboom. Or at least that's how Dash understood it. Almost there. The reading slowly climbs up until finally... NOW!
Rainbow Dash lowers her goggles over her eyes and blasts into the stream as fast as she can. She rides the current a little until she spots the gorge in the distance. With a cocky smirk she pushes harder breaking the speed barrier and creating her famous Sonic Rainboom. Once she passes over Ghastly Gorge she takes a sharp left. A glow can be seen as Twilight's spell starts working. Dash circles around the small town she calls home and starts to slow down as she approaches the weather team.
With relieved but tired faces the other pegasi start to congratulate each other on a job well done. Dash lands and starts to head towards her team. "Rainbow Dash," comes a familiar singsong voice. Dash glances over to see Rarity approaching her.
"Hey Rarity. What brings you out here?" Rainbow Dash huffs out her question. The days work and especially her amazing feat at the end leaving her breathless.
"We were hoping to speak with you." Responds her friend. It wasn't until this moment that Dash noticed Rarity had brought her sister along with her. It seemed strange seeing Sweetie Belle without the other Crusaders. Generally speaking the Crusaders seem inseparable. Sometimes Dash spends time with Scootaloo alone but that's because they're as close as sister. Although now that she was thinking about it she's spent quite a few moments hanging out with Apple Bloom on occasion as well. Probably because of how often Dash hangs out with Applejack. So as it turns out she only finds it weird to see Sweetie Belle without the other Crusaders. Odd. She mentally shrugs.
"Sure, just give me a second to let the team go for the day." Dash turns around and approaches her weather team. She's not technically the captain anymore on account of stepping down to be a Wonderbolt but they respect her enough and besides that her ego won't let her stop claiming them as her own anyway. After a few words of praise, letting them know that they did a good job, she releases them for the day and returns to her waiting friend.
"So, what did you want to speak to me about?" she asks stretching her wings.
"I couldn't help but notice all the commotion. We're not getting rain are we?" Rarity looks up into the sky and at the visible wind cyclone passing the edge of town.
"You came all this way to ask about rain? Didn't you read the weather team's forecast schedule?" asked a mildly annoyed Rainbow Dash. It had been a long day and because of it she had missed at least two naps and was eager to sneak one in soon.
"We're not here for the rain," peeps up Sweetie Belle who starts to look around. "Is Scootaloo here?"
Rainbow cocks an eyebrow. This filly comes all the way out here, no doubt seeing my awesome performance, and only asks about Scootaloo. I know they're friends but come on. "No, Scoots isn't around. I haven't seen her all day. I've been busy. Busy being awesome." She smirks and closes her eyes awaiting a response.
"It's a pretty cool gust of wind I guess," answers Sweetie Belle, unintentionally dismissive. At that moment Dash felt a tinge of anger and hurt pride. She felt her eye twitch.
"Sweetie Belle don't be rude," quickly commented Rarity who must of noticed Dash's mannerisms, or maybe just because she knows her friend so well. Rarity was practically rolling her eyes at Dash's behavior. Dash would be the first to admit that she has a big ego but how can a filly witness a Sonic Rainbow and say it was a 'pretty cool gust of wind'. No respect.
"What did I do?" asks a defensive Sweetie Belle. Unaware of how much she had offended Rainbow Dash. Dash closes her eyes and takes a breath. She's just a dumb kid. Doesn't know awesomeness when it's in front of her.
"Forget about it kid. You're fine. Either way I haven't seen Scoots, sorry." Dash wasn't really angry at the filly but rather upset at how much the meaningless comment had bothered her. It didn't stop her from mentally mocking the kid, however. Stupid Sweetie Belle and her stupid squeaky voice. How can Rarity stand her all day? Kid doesn't know what's cool. Although I suppose with Rarity around...
"Rainbow Dash you misunderstand. Applejack is inviting us all to go camping at Winsome Falls again. A sisters retreat as it were." Rarity seemed surprisingly content with the idea and that struck Rainbow as odd. The fashionista doesn't really enjoy outdoorsy activities, especially camping. Although she has caved a few times upon her sisters request. Guess the kids good for something.
"Yeah that sounds fun. Guess it explains why you were hoping Scoots would be here too huh?" Rainbow gazes down at Sweetie Belle and gives her a smile. Kid was just excited to go on a camping trip with me and the most awesomest filly in Ponyville. Can't blame her for not noticing my amazingness when she's too busy thinking about how awesome her future is going to be. "Don't worry guys I'll fill the little rascal in. When we doing this?"
"Tomorrow!" shouted a high pitched, squeaky voiced Sweetie Belle.
"My ears." Rainbow Dash uses the tips of her wings to massage the insides of her ears. "Sounds good. Just promise me you won't do that while we're there. I can stand loud gale force winds but your high pitched squeaky voice will blow out my eardrums."
Sweetie Belle's ears drop and she gives a sheepish grin. "Sorry."
Author's Note
Couple things I want to say.
1. This is the first story where I wrote an outline for the story and each individual chapter. Hopefully that'll make it better.
2. I don't have an editor so there is bound to be several mistakes. I proof read it but that only goes so far.
3. This is the longest single chapter I've written in one sitting. Hopefully it improves the quality and keeps me motivated to finish.
4. If you don't like the story, thats fine. Please just leave a comment why. It can be a simple as "I didn't like your portrayal of so and so." or "the way x reacts to y isn't what I enjoy" It's just nice to know why someone doesn't like something so please please plz plz leave contructive criticism if you don't like it.
