Corners of the Earthby raven618ChaptersProlouge: The OfferChapter 1: The Greatest AdventureChapter 2: The AssignmentChapter 3: The MillChapter 4: InvestigationsChapter 5: MagicProlouge: The OfferThe classroom was darker than usual. This fact, however, was barely noticed by the brown robed students as they were all either elves or half-elves with darkvision. At the moment, most students were removing their textbooks or looking over their notes. A few were engaging in conversations with their friends or were coming in late. All in all, a typical day at the wizarding school. The doors suddenly flung open and in stepped the teacher. A female elf going on the high side of two hundred, her skin was immaculate and her golden hair flawless. She wore the same silver robes as the rest of the teaching staff, but missing the bulky sleeves leaving her arms bare. In her left hand she carried the same textbook her class carried, Spell-Casting Volume 1. In her left she carried a golden rod, topped with a pink diamond; her spell medium. “Good afternoon, class.” Professor Celestia said. “I apologize for the lighting, but I felt it was appropriate for today’s lesson. I want each of you to cast a simple Light spell. Assuming you’ve all done your readings, this should be a very short class. Though I do ask that no one leave before I say you’ve been dismissed.” She made a point of looking at Minuette, a grey-haired girl who had a habit of accidentally skipping class. “Now then,” she swept her rod out in front of her and all the lights in the class room went out, “begin.” The effect was immediate. A cacophony of scraping chairs was heard as the students stood up to cast their spells. The first light to come on was a harsh, red light coming from the rod of one Sunset Shimmer. She hadn’t even bothered to stand up, instead she cast the spell from her seat before she returned to reading her text book. A few more lights of varying colors began to take bloom, though some then went out almost as quickly as they came on. Celestia began to move about the room, looking for the students who were struggling the most. “Miss Heartstrings, I believe you are holding your wand upside down.” “… Thank you, Professor.” The green/silver haired half-elf said as she corrected the error. The result was a warm golden star birthed from her wand. Just behind her was a greyish silver light coming from the wand of one Written Script. But the light stayed on the wand instead of floating in mid-air. Written attempted to remove the light by waving his wand around wildly. “Dude, cool it.” Said the elf sitting next to him, a young male by the name of Comet Tail. “You just need to give it the release command.” Celestia decided to let those two figure out the problem on their own. Instead she turned her attention to a pair of she-elves who were struggling to create any kind of light. One was Moondancer, a red-haired, glasses wearing bookworm. The other was a purple-haired half-elf named Twilight Sparkle. Both girls were exceptional students, but they tended to isolate themselves from the other students. “Having trouble girls?” Celestia asked them, her hair bathed pink by the light of another student’s successful spell. “We’re sorry, Professor.” Twilight said, “But we just don’t understand. The book says that the spell is powered ‘by the light of the caster’s joyous past’.” Celestia chuckled, “I suppose that is a bit cryptic. It means the spell is powered by the happy memories of the caster. Now, I want both of you to put down your mediums.” The girls looked at each other, then put down their staffs; Twilight’s an oak sapling topped with an amethyst, Moondancer’s an ivory staff with a ruby encrusted head. “Think of a pleasant memory. It can be anything as long as it brings up feelings of happiness or joy.” Both girls closed their eyes and smiled as they recalled their chosen memories. "Look over there, Sparkle! That's the sun!" "There's no sun, Daddy. That's just the. . . Wow! It's so pretty!" “Now keep that memory in mind as you cast the spell.” She put the staffs back into their hands. Moondancer’s lit up with a soft pink light, while Twilight’s glowed a bright purple. “We did it!” Moondancer cheered as she hugged Twilight, who was quite shocked by the action. Celestia only laughed and went to help another student who was having trouble. Before long, everyone had been able to cast the spell to some degree. There were a few whose light was still rather dim or would go out after a while, but they would improve with practice. “Very good job, all of you. Before I dismiss you, I have an announcement.” Celestia pulled a letter out of her desk. “A few days ago, I received a letter from the royal council to investigate a magical phenomenon near the town of Greenvale. Normally this would mean that you would be left without a teacher for a week.” A small chorus of ‘awws’ and ‘yays’ could be heard. “But instead, the council has agreed to let me turn this summons into a sort of class trip.” “I am offering you the chance to join me on a magical expedition. If you accept, you will be excused from your other classes for one week at most and will earn extra credit in mine. If you should choose to decline you will have to attend your regular classes.” “Before any of you make your decision, I would like to say this. You came to this school to learn about the greater world and become wizards. And in the time I’ve known you, I’ve seen each of you grow as wizards and scholars. But I have also seen many of you retreat into your studies, shutting out the world around you and the people around you. I am giving you this opportunity not only to increase your knowledge, but to increase your experience and wisdom too. The world is not found in books or old spells. It’s out there.” The class was left speechless, they had never heard their Professor talk like this before, with this level of passion. They felt like she was speaking personally to each one of them. Some felt guilty, others inspired, still others a little intimidated. “I will leave a sign-up sheet on my office door. If you plan on joining, leave your name on the sheet before midnight tonight. We leave from the school’s entrance tomorrow morning at seven, please be there with your bags. You are dismissed.” Author's Note No choice after this first chapter, I apologize. But if I gave you the chance to NOT go on the adventure, then this whole idea would probably go down the toilet. Chapter 1: The Greatest Adventure“Ow, watch it!” Sunset scolded. Twilight backed up, desperately trying to pick up her dropped books, “I’m so sorry, Sunset. I was thinking about what the Professor said and- “ “Shut up! And stay out of my way.” With that, she steamed off. Twilight stayed where she was. Sunset Shimmer was one of the strongest sorcerers at Starswirl’s and she had no trouble letting the rest of the students know that. Twilight especially had received many warnings from the golden-haired girl. She jumped when she felt someone touch her shoulder, but it was only her fellow Half-Elf and roommate, Lyra. “Are you alright?” “Yes, thank you.” Twilight said as she picked herself up. “Are, are you planning on going?” “Hm, going where?” “On Professor Celestia’s expedition.” Twilight specified as the two walked through the ornate halls of Starswirl’s Wizarding School. “Oh that. Yeah, I probably will, it sounds like it could be fun. Why, you can’t decide if you want to go?” “Pretty much. I have straight grades in her class, so I’m not in any need of extra credit. The Professor said she received the summons from the royal council, which means that this is really important. Add that to the fact that they asked Celestia the Wise, one of the leading authorities on magical anomalies, and it is safe to infer that whatever it is this investigation is investigating is highly complex and advanced. Therefore, it is unlikely that I, a young wizard in training, would have anything useful to add to the expedition.” Lyra nodded slowly, “So what you are saying is that you don’t need to go, right?” Twilight nodded in affirmation. “But you still haven’t answered my question; do you want to go?” Twilight kept her gaze pointed downward, “Yes, and no. I want to go, and help the Professor with whatever it is. But at the same time, I think she’s mad at me.” “Mad at you? What makes you think that?” “You heard her. ‘Some of you have retreated into your studies and shut out the world.’ You know she was talking about me.” “Yes, that does describe you,” Lyra conceded as the two of them entered the dining hall, “But it also describes Moondancer, Star Bright, Sugarcoat, Sunset and a whole slew of other Elves. And even if she was talking just about you, doesn’t that mean you of all people have to go.” Twilight looked at her in confusion, “Celestia set up this whole expedition so that people like you would get a chance to go out into the world and experience it yourself, instead of just reading about it in books.” “But books can take you anywhere!” Twilight exclaimed as she selected a salad for herself, “The Goliath Pass, Vanihiem, even the sunken city of Seaquestria. A good book can take you anywhere.” “Maybe,” Lyra said as she too got her lunch, “but that experience can only be enhanced by actually going to those places. If I described the taste of this blueberry pastry to you, would you be satisfied just by my description, or would you want to eat one for yourself?” “Naturally I’d want to eat one.” She said, taking a bite out of her own pastry. “Oh wow, that really is good.” “Then isn’t it natural that after reading a description of a place, for you to want to experience it for yourself?” “I guess.” “Besides, she’s not asking you to travel to the Dwarven Mountains or The Outlands. It’s just a week in Greenvale, and I’ll be right there with you.” Twilight ate a bite of her leafy salad. Lyra was right, she had been craving to visit the far-off lands that she had read about so many times. To feel the hot wind of The Outlands on her skin, to hear the calls of creatures from the forest at night, to taste the clear waters of the Long River. “Alright, I’ll do it. I’ll go on the expedition. And I’m going to make a checklist, so that you don’t forget anything.” “What? When have I ever forgotten something?” “Well…” “Don’t answer that.” [Party formed: Twilight Sparkle, Lyra Heartstrings] And so, the next morning… The early morning sun illuminated a small train of horse-drawn carriages outside Starswirl’s main entrance. A sizable group of students already stood by, some wearing their school robes while others were wearing more casual attire. Most of them were conversing with each other as their luggage was loaded up. “How did we get stuck with this job?” Twilight asked as she tied off a stack of suitcases. “By showing up first.” Lyra answered as she carried a genuine trunk over to the third carriage. “Carriages leave at seven, students should be ready to leave by six-thirty. And you brought us down at *yawn* five-fifty.” “I had to account for travel-time, bathroom breaks, and any form of unexpected obstacles that could have been blocking our path.” Lyra just laughed and the two of them continued loading luggage. After a few minutes, Professor Celestia came out and began a head count. “Sunny Flare?” “Here.” “Rare Find?” “Here.” “Trixie?” … “Apparently running l- “ “The Great and Powerful TRIXIE has arrived!” sauntering out of the school was a silver haired Star-Elf wearing a flashy purple cape over an expensive light blue robe. On her head sat a matching pointy purple hat. A huge trunk levitated behind her. This was Trixie Lulamoon, the hottest blooded Elf at Starswirl’s. “I trust my carriage is ready?” “Miss Lulamoon, you will be sharing a carriage with your fellow students, just like everyone else.” Celestia informed her. Trixie scoffed before flicking her hair with one hand, “Very well, it will give the common folk more time to bask in my beauty. You,” she pointed at Twilight, “Make sure my bag is well cared for.” She snapped her fingers, canceling her cantrip and causing the trunk to fall towards Twilight. [Twilight makes a Strength saving throw: Failure] The trunk proved to be far heavier than she predicted and floored her beneath its weight. Her classmates stood by and snickered, save Lyra who lifted the trunk off her. “Well, you’re not getting any tips.” Trixie said. “Everyone is present.” Professor Celestia announced. “If no one needs to use the restroom, will everyone please climb aboard a carriage. Only six students per carriage though!” The young wizards all began climbing into the wagons. Twilight and Lyra found themselves in one of the carriages closer to the back of the caravan. They were surprised to find the Wood-Elf, Moondancer already seated in it. Twilight sat next to her, while Lyra took the window seat across from her. The two Half-Elves were followed by two more Elves, another Wood-Elf with lightish red hair, and a Sun-Elf with golden yellow hair. They sat together on the same seat as Lyra. The caravan was about to leave before Minuette, a silver haired Star-Elf pocked her head in. “Can I join you?” She asked. Twilight scooted over to make more room for her. She eagerly hopped in and sat down. With a lurch, the caravan moved out. = = = The group sat in silence for most of the trip. Twilight watched the green, flower dotted hills slowly give way to forest. The dappled sunlight dancing through the window was fascinated to her. “First time in the Greenwood?” The Wood-Elf said, a playful smirk on her face. “First time out of Moon City more like.” She admitted. “Hehe, I’m Twinkleshine by the way.” She gestured to the girl sitting next to her, “This is my best friend, Lemon Hearts.” “You’re Twilight Sparkle, right?” Lemon Hearts asked. “Twilight Velvet’s daughter?” “Yeah.” She said, quietly moving her hair to cover up her ears. Unlike normal Elves, whose ears stuck out away from their heads, her's lay flat against her head, a testament to her mixed parentage. “I’m Twilight’s roommate, Lyra.” Lyra said, drawing the conversation away from her friend. “I’m from Star City, how about you two?” “We both grew up in Sun City.” Twinkleshine explained, “But I have to say, I prefer the more natural style of Moon City to the hard, geometrics of Sun City.” She looked over at Moondancer, “What about you?” The red-haired Elf was reading a book and looked like she hadn’t been paying attention to the conversation. “I- I’m sorry, what did you say?” “We wanted to know where you were from.” “I grew up in Autumnsdale.” She said before putting her head back into the book, more out of embarrassment than disinterest. “That’s nice. What about you…” “Minuette. I’m from Star City as well. I want to become a mugician.” There was a bit of confused silence from the other passengers, finally Twilight asked the question, “What is a mugician?” “A music magician. I want to play truly magical music. When I was little, a traveling group of performers stopped in our town, and their music really was magical. Flowers bloomed, water danced around, tiny fireworks went off. It was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I want to be able to do that kind of magic.” “You might be able to if you stayed in class for once.” Twinkleshine said, sarcastically. “Hey! It’s not my fault I leave before the Professors are done talking. If they say, ‘class is over’ then that should mean the class is over, not ‘I’m going to say something very important now’.” Twilight couldn’t help but giggle a little at the other girl’s outburst. The rest of the trip went by in relative quiet. Until the caravan arrived in Greenvale. The population was mostly Humans, with a few Halflings and Gnomes scattered about. The buildings looked to be made of brick, plaster and wood. Many had straw thatched roofs. The caravan traveled over the cobblestones until it stopped in front of a homely looking building labeled ‘The Cider Barrel’. The students received a number of looks from the local peoples, not hostile looks, but more of curiosity. “May I have your attention!” A short, portly woman with red hair wearing an apron stood next to Celestia. “My name is Cupcake. I want to welcome you all to Greenvale. You will be staying in The Cider Barrel while you are here. We have made up six rooms for you all, so you’ll have to share, three to a room.” “And no co-ed rooms.” Celestia said, firmly. A few of the guys groaned. Twilight looked at Lyra, who only had to nod to let her know that she would stay with her. As for their other roommate… [Ask Minuette. She's a little too hyper for me, but I'm sure Lyra would love to know more about her theory on mixing music and magic] [Ask Moondancer. I've sat next to her in class before, she's a smart student and she loves books. That and she hugged me yesterday.] [Leave it to chance. I think it may be better if we just trust Celestia to assign us a roommate. Talking to people is hard.] Author's Note Voting Link. If you feel Twilight should ask one of the other characters introduced, say so in the comments. If it gets enough likes, that may be the final outcome. Chapter 2: The AssignmentTwilight took a deep breath and walked over to red-haired Elf as she was taking her bag down. “Miss Moondancer?” “Um, yes.” “I- that is we,” she said, looking back at Lyra, “would like it if you-“ No, that sounded too demanding. “I mean, would you like to share a room with us?” “Oh!” she held her bag close to her chest, “Well, I… Yes, I would like that. Thank you.” She held her hand out and Twilight met it in a very light handshake. [Party member added: Moondancer] The girls went up to the adults and informed them of their rooming group. Cupcake gave them each a copper room key as Celestia took notes. “You have room number seven. Pinkie Pie will show you up. Pinkie!” A human girl with soft curly pink hair hopped out of the inn. She was dressed in a pink dress that ended above her knees. Over that she wore a white apron that had been stained sometime in the past. Her eager eyes were a bright blue. “You called, Mrs. Cake?” “Please show these girls to Room 13. And all of you come back down once you do.” “Aye-Aye, Captain!” The girl saluted and led the three girls inside. Inside the establishment, the three were accosted by the smell of fresh bread and other baked goods. A few patrons sat at small tables, drinking and eating being the most common activities. “Your room is this way.” Pinkie said, leading them up a flight of stairs. Room 13 was a small room with two made beds and a cot. The soft orange curtains over the window were drawn back to reveal the sweeping view of the Greenvale rooftops. “I’ll take the cot.” Lyra said as she dropped her bag down on the temporary bed. Twilight and Moondancer also put their bags down and returned downstairs, passing another group of students being led upstairs by Mrs. Cake. The girls each took a seat in the parlor as the rest of the students deposited their bags and used the restroom again. Trixie made a big show of pulling out a chair and putting her boots up on the table. Twinkleshine, Lemon and Minuette all sit down together. Sunset Shimmer can be seen standing behind the rest of the students, leaning against a wooden beam. Celestia steps up in front of the assembled students. “Thank you all for accepting my offer. As I said, the Elven Council ordered me to investigate a magical phenomenon happening in this area. The Council had received three letters describing an unidentified magic in the river that, according to the reports, were having an affect on the local wildlife and plant-life.” Celestia handed out a stack of papers to the students. “You may proceed with your investigations however you please. You must stay with your room-mates for this project, and you are encouraged to work with the other rooms.” Moondancer took the sheets of paper, with Twilight and Lyra reading them over her shoulders. The first letter was from a local miller, who had noticed an increasing number of fish in the river and who’s daughter apparently said that she could taste a weird magic in it. The second letter was from a girl named Fluttershy. She said that she had felt a strange magic flowing upriver against the current for the last few days. She then said that the animals had been acting very scared, many had disappeared, and that the plants were changing. The third letter was from a lumberjack named Burnt Oak. He too said that the local plant life was changing. He described trees with blue leaves and green wood, and grass that looked yellow and sickly. “Sounds like some kind of mutation.” Moondancer pondered. “What do you girls think we should do?” [Talk to the miller. His seems to be the first letter sent. Also if his daughter could taste the magic in the river, she definitely needs to be looked at.] [Talk to Fluttershy. If she was able to determine from which way the magic was flowing, then she might be a valuable resource of information.] [Talk to the lumberjack. His description of the changes to the plants are very thorough. And it would be a good idea to get a first hand look at these plants.] [Investigate the river. Lets head straight to what appears to be the source of the problem.] Author's Note Voting link here. Why did it take me a month to write less than a thousand words? Chapter 3: The Mill[ERROR! SPLIT VOTE: MILLER 50%, FLUTTERSHY 50%] [EXTERNAL INFLUENCE REQUIRED] “I can’t decide,” Twilight murmured, “It seems like this Fluttershy has identified the most results of whatever this is. But then we have this miller, whose daughter could apparently taste the magic, that’s not something that should just be glossed over.” “Miller, you mean Water Wheel?” It was the Human girl, Pinkie, she had walked over to their group and was leaning over their shoulders. Twilight and Moondancer were both shocked that they hadn’t noticed her, while Lyra was more curious. “You know him?” “Oh yeah, I collect flour from his mill every week. I could show you if you like.” “Well, that would be quite helpfuuUULLLL!” Twilight’s arm was grabbed, and she felt herself being dragged off by the Human maid. “I’m taking my break now, Mrs. Cake!” “Okay, dearie.” The older woman waved as the Half-Elf and Wood-Elf chased after their classmate and guide. Professor Celestia walked over to her. “She seems, very friendly.” “Professor, you have no idea.” [Temporary party member added: Pinkie Pie] Twilight was eventually released from the girl’s iron grip and allowed to walk with the other girls. As the only ones with elvish blood in the area, they drew a fair amount of attention to themselves. Lyra and Twilight were used to the suspicious gazes, but Moondancer was more used to disappearing into the crowd, and thus felt very uncomfortable. Lyra put her hand on the girl’s shoulder to alleviate some of that discomfort. As the group continued, the spaces between buildings became greater, and the traffic on the road became less. Before too long, the sound of the river filled their ears as the mill came into view. It looked like an atypical water mill; a small wooden house built on the bank of a river with a large wooden wheel turning as the flowing river pushed it. A cart loaded with bags of grain sat outside the front door. A young girl had just grabbed one of the bags before she saw the approaching Elves and hurried inside. By the time the girls had properly arrived, an older Human had appeared in the doorway. He looked to be in his late forties, with a short grey beard and moustache. He wore a pale white work apron over his brown work clothes, all of which was slightly powdery with fresh flour. Behind him stood the girl, who was presumably his daughter. She wore a lilac colored skirt and a cream shirt which were as floury as her father’s. Sat on her nose were a pair of pointed glasses. Her silver hair was tied into two pigtail braids. “Pinkie Pie!” The man, Water Wheel, said, “What are you doing here? Your next order isn’t until Sunday. And who are they?” He seemed rather hostile towards the three strangers. “Eh-hem!” Lyra cleared her throat to draw the man’s attention, “Hello Sir, did you submit a report to the Elvish council regarding a magical anomaly involving the river?” “Yeah, I did. I was expecting them to send an expert, not a couple of kids.” He sighed, “Oh well, at least you’re here. So, what do you want?” “We’d like to interview you and your family before we begin the investigation.” “Alright, come on in.” The three students, plus Pinkie, followed him into the mill. The inside was rather sparsely decorated; a few wooden chairs and stacks of bags of flour acting as the only seating in the main area. Water Wheel sat down on one of the bags, the girl sitting next to him. “Will your wife be joining us?” Moondancer asked. “Mother’s gone on business.” The young girl said, “She won’t be back for a month.” She nodded and the girls all sat down (Pinkie and Lyra took the flour bags). “You already explained the situation in your report, but we’d like to hear it again, in more detail.” Twilight said. “Alright. Well, it started about two weeks ago, we started to see more fish in the river. Normally, a few extra fish is just fine, means we can get more to eat from the market. But these were different from the usual trout and minnows we get; they were colorful and had a weird shape to ‘em. ‘Bout a week ago, a few of them got stuck up on the bank here. Silver Spoon here, thought it would be a good idea to throw ‘em back in the water.” “I was being careful!” The girl, Silver Spoon, retorted. “Not careful enough. She ended up falling in, and me and few friends had to fish her out. When we did, she kept talking about some magic that she could taste in the water. I’m a simple man, I don’t understand what she was talking about. But then I heard about what Burnt Oak said he saw, and I thought it would be best if I told you pointy ears what happened.” Twilight held her chin in thought. ‘A sudden influx of bright colorful fish. That doesn’t quiet seem to match up with what the reports Fluttershy and Burnt Oak had filled out said.' Water Wheel leaned forwards, “Is there anything else you want to know?” Author's Note Firstly, thank you to the two people who voted. Secondly, because it was a split vote, I resorted to the old fashioned coin toss between the two choices which were selected (Results: 2 for the mill, 1 for Fluttershy, and one nickel lost on a hill somewhere. You guys owe me 5 cents). Moving on to the more immediate matter, This chapter is ending in what I will be calling, An Open Voting. Leave any questions or actions you want Twilight and the party to ask/make down in the comments section. Follow questions will also be asked. Next chapter I will give credit to the persons who submitted. It's just a way for you, the readers, to be more engaged with this story. Here's hoping for a faster update next time, -Raven618 Chapter 4: Investigations“Would it be possible for you to show us these fish?” Twilight asked. “I should be able to.” Water Wheel said, standing up, “A few of them keep flopping up on the riverbank. If you all will follow me.” The group stood up and walked outside. The river was about three yards wide, with grey stones covered in plant-life lining each bank. The massive wooden wheel turned endlessly next to them. “Here’s one.” Water Wheel said, picking something up off the rocks. “What do you make of this?” [Investigation check: Twilight 21, Lyra 19, Moondancer Nat 1, Pinkie 13] “That’s a fish?” Moondancer asked. The fish was virtually flat, like someone had taken a fish and squeezed their hands together with the fish in between. Size wise it was rather small, fitting perfectly into the adult human’s hand. Its fins were long and delicate. Most striking was the color, a bright blue with yellow fins and stripes lining the body. “Yes, that is a fish.” Twilight said, “But it belongs on a coral reef.” “Coral reef?” Silver Spoon asked. “It’s a place in the ocean where fish like this live.” Lyra explained, “This fish shouldn’t even be able to breath in a river, much less swim the length of the Long River into the middle of Deradia.” She turned to Water Wheel, “Did the rest of the fish look like this?” “Not just like that. They’re all different colors and shapes. But they are all similar to this, ocean fish.” Twilight decided to address their second concern. “Does you family have any strong magic users in it, Mr. Wheel?” “My family? No, my father and grandfathers were all simple men.” “What about your wife’s family?” “Not to my knowledge. But Gilded, my wife’s sister, has mentioned that they are descendants of one of the old noble houses. So there might be some magic there.” [Twilight performs a history check: 14] Prior to the Unification, the Humans were governed by eight noble houses, most of which were rumored to have sorcery in their blood lines. However, those rumors were never confirmed, and the houses were disbanded hundreds of years ago, meaning any magic from that time would be little more than a remnant. Twilight bent down so she was eye level with the silver haired girl. “Silver, can you tell us what it was that you tasted when you fell in the river?” “It was weird. It was like someone lit a match in my mouth, but it wasn’t hot or burning. It tasted, vast. Like so much had been fit into a space that was so small.” She looked at the young Half-Elf, “I can’t really explain it.” “You’re sure it was magic you were tasting?” she asked. “I’ve been in the river before, it never tasted like that. And I know it was magic! I don’t know how I know, but I do know!” Water Wheel stepped forwards, “Is there something wrong?” “I don’t know.” Twilight said, standing up. “I’ve never heard of someone describing magic as a taste before. But I don’t have any reason to doubt her word.” “So, what do we do now?” Moondancer asked. Author's Note No vote this time, and that is because I made a mistake in the last chapter. Twilight, Lyra, and Moondancer have each learned the spell 'Detect Magic.' The next chapter will have them using that spell to further the investigation. For the sake of consistency, all three of them know the spells: Telekinesis (as seen the show), Light (not the one from DnD, the one Snips uses in Boast Busters), and Detect Magic. They can also make a spark of magic (Sweetie Belle does this in Babs Seed), it's not really a spell, but it's something. Chapter 5: MagicTwilight turned back so she was looking Silver Spoon in the eye. “Silver Spoon, I’m going to cast a spell that will let me see the magic inside of you. Will you be alright if I do that?” Silver seemed to ponder for a moment, “Sure! Go ahead.” “Thank you.” Twilight held her staff out in front of her, the purple gemstone only a few inches away from her face. “Detect magic!” With those words, her purple eyes began to glow with a brilliant blue light. From Twilight’s point of view, the world turned black. The earth, the rocks they were standing on, it all faded out of view. Silver Spoon still stood in front of her, but she appeared as if someone had done a pencil sketch of her all in one color, appropriately silver. Or that is what she should have been seeing. But instead she saw, Twilight couldn’t quite describe it. It looked like a stream of thin, dark blue growths, snaking out of her abdomen and reaching into her chest and upper legs. “That’s, not good.” She said aloud. “What? What’s wrong with her?” the father demanded. “She has,” She paused to gather her thoughts. “Silver, you have some kind of, foreign magic inside you, and it seems to be, growing or spreading. There isn’t a lot, but it’s definitely there.” Silver became uneasy, “Can you get it out?” “No.” Twilight smiled, “But I’m certain that my teacher can. She’ll get that bad magic out of you.” Silver seemed to brighten at this. Twilight closed her eyes. “Now, please point me to the river.” Moondancer grabbed her shoulders and slowly turned her so that she was facing the water. “Wait, why does she need help?” Pinkie, who had previously been mesmerized by the display of magic, asked. Lyra answered her, “When the spell Twilight is using is cast, the caster can see all the magic around them. But that’s just about all they can see. So, wizards who aren’t used to seeing the world that way can get, well, dizzy.” Twilight was now facing the river, “You can open your eyes now, Twilight.” She did, and what she saw frightened her. “It’s, it’s filled with magic.” Huge clouds of dark blue magic were flowing upstream, almost filling the river channel. “It looks like the same magic inside Silver, but there is a lot more of it.” She called off the detect magic spell, and the world returned to normal. “It’s coming from downstream.” “Come on, let’s go check it out!” Pinkie said, running off downstream. “Woah! Hold on a minute!” Moondancer said. Pinkie’s heels left twin tracks in the dirt as she skid to a stop. “Shouldn’t we tell Professor Celestia about Silver and the river first?” “Tell her what?” Lyra countered, “All we know is that there’s a kind of magic and strange fish in the river, and that this magic is also in this girl. We don’t know where it’s coming from, or what it really does. We need to meet up with the rest of the class first and find out if this is dangerous or not.” Twilight put her hand on her chin in thought. [Find the source of the magic. We need to find out where this magic is coming from. Then we can stop it at its source.] [Tell Celestia. She’s the magic expert, she’ll know what this is and how to counter it.] [Inform the rest of the students about the discovery. We are supposed to work together, and they might have more information than we do.] Author's Note Vote on what to do next here.
Prolouge: The OfferThe classroom was darker than usual. This fact, however, was barely noticed by the brown robed students as they were all either elves or half-elves with darkvision. At the moment, most students were removing their textbooks or looking over their notes. A few were engaging in conversations with their friends or were coming in late. All in all, a typical day at the wizarding school. The doors suddenly flung open and in stepped the teacher. A female elf going on the high side of two hundred, her skin was immaculate and her golden hair flawless. She wore the same silver robes as the rest of the teaching staff, but missing the bulky sleeves leaving her arms bare. In her left hand she carried the same textbook her class carried, Spell-Casting Volume 1. In her left she carried a golden rod, topped with a pink diamond; her spell medium. “Good afternoon, class.” Professor Celestia said. “I apologize for the lighting, but I felt it was appropriate for today’s lesson. I want each of you to cast a simple Light spell. Assuming you’ve all done your readings, this should be a very short class. Though I do ask that no one leave before I say you’ve been dismissed.” She made a point of looking at Minuette, a grey-haired girl who had a habit of accidentally skipping class. “Now then,” she swept her rod out in front of her and all the lights in the class room went out, “begin.” The effect was immediate. A cacophony of scraping chairs was heard as the students stood up to cast their spells. The first light to come on was a harsh, red light coming from the rod of one Sunset Shimmer. She hadn’t even bothered to stand up, instead she cast the spell from her seat before she returned to reading her text book. A few more lights of varying colors began to take bloom, though some then went out almost as quickly as they came on. Celestia began to move about the room, looking for the students who were struggling the most. “Miss Heartstrings, I believe you are holding your wand upside down.” “… Thank you, Professor.” The green/silver haired half-elf said as she corrected the error. The result was a warm golden star birthed from her wand. Just behind her was a greyish silver light coming from the wand of one Written Script. But the light stayed on the wand instead of floating in mid-air. Written attempted to remove the light by waving his wand around wildly. “Dude, cool it.” Said the elf sitting next to him, a young male by the name of Comet Tail. “You just need to give it the release command.” Celestia decided to let those two figure out the problem on their own. Instead she turned her attention to a pair of she-elves who were struggling to create any kind of light. One was Moondancer, a red-haired, glasses wearing bookworm. The other was a purple-haired half-elf named Twilight Sparkle. Both girls were exceptional students, but they tended to isolate themselves from the other students. “Having trouble girls?” Celestia asked them, her hair bathed pink by the light of another student’s successful spell. “We’re sorry, Professor.” Twilight said, “But we just don’t understand. The book says that the spell is powered ‘by the light of the caster’s joyous past’.” Celestia chuckled, “I suppose that is a bit cryptic. It means the spell is powered by the happy memories of the caster. Now, I want both of you to put down your mediums.” The girls looked at each other, then put down their staffs; Twilight’s an oak sapling topped with an amethyst, Moondancer’s an ivory staff with a ruby encrusted head. “Think of a pleasant memory. It can be anything as long as it brings up feelings of happiness or joy.” Both girls closed their eyes and smiled as they recalled their chosen memories. "Look over there, Sparkle! That's the sun!" "There's no sun, Daddy. That's just the. . . Wow! It's so pretty!" “Now keep that memory in mind as you cast the spell.” She put the staffs back into their hands. Moondancer’s lit up with a soft pink light, while Twilight’s glowed a bright purple. “We did it!” Moondancer cheered as she hugged Twilight, who was quite shocked by the action. Celestia only laughed and went to help another student who was having trouble. Before long, everyone had been able to cast the spell to some degree. There were a few whose light was still rather dim or would go out after a while, but they would improve with practice. “Very good job, all of you. Before I dismiss you, I have an announcement.” Celestia pulled a letter out of her desk. “A few days ago, I received a letter from the royal council to investigate a magical phenomenon near the town of Greenvale. Normally this would mean that you would be left without a teacher for a week.” A small chorus of ‘awws’ and ‘yays’ could be heard. “But instead, the council has agreed to let me turn this summons into a sort of class trip.” “I am offering you the chance to join me on a magical expedition. If you accept, you will be excused from your other classes for one week at most and will earn extra credit in mine. If you should choose to decline you will have to attend your regular classes.” “Before any of you make your decision, I would like to say this. You came to this school to learn about the greater world and become wizards. And in the time I’ve known you, I’ve seen each of you grow as wizards and scholars. But I have also seen many of you retreat into your studies, shutting out the world around you and the people around you. I am giving you this opportunity not only to increase your knowledge, but to increase your experience and wisdom too. The world is not found in books or old spells. It’s out there.” The class was left speechless, they had never heard their Professor talk like this before, with this level of passion. They felt like she was speaking personally to each one of them. Some felt guilty, others inspired, still others a little intimidated. “I will leave a sign-up sheet on my office door. If you plan on joining, leave your name on the sheet before midnight tonight. We leave from the school’s entrance tomorrow morning at seven, please be there with your bags. You are dismissed.” Author's Note No choice after this first chapter, I apologize. But if I gave you the chance to NOT go on the adventure, then this whole idea would probably go down the toilet.
Chapter 1: The Greatest Adventure“Ow, watch it!” Sunset scolded. Twilight backed up, desperately trying to pick up her dropped books, “I’m so sorry, Sunset. I was thinking about what the Professor said and- “ “Shut up! And stay out of my way.” With that, she steamed off. Twilight stayed where she was. Sunset Shimmer was one of the strongest sorcerers at Starswirl’s and she had no trouble letting the rest of the students know that. Twilight especially had received many warnings from the golden-haired girl. She jumped when she felt someone touch her shoulder, but it was only her fellow Half-Elf and roommate, Lyra. “Are you alright?” “Yes, thank you.” Twilight said as she picked herself up. “Are, are you planning on going?” “Hm, going where?” “On Professor Celestia’s expedition.” Twilight specified as the two walked through the ornate halls of Starswirl’s Wizarding School. “Oh that. Yeah, I probably will, it sounds like it could be fun. Why, you can’t decide if you want to go?” “Pretty much. I have straight grades in her class, so I’m not in any need of extra credit. The Professor said she received the summons from the royal council, which means that this is really important. Add that to the fact that they asked Celestia the Wise, one of the leading authorities on magical anomalies, and it is safe to infer that whatever it is this investigation is investigating is highly complex and advanced. Therefore, it is unlikely that I, a young wizard in training, would have anything useful to add to the expedition.” Lyra nodded slowly, “So what you are saying is that you don’t need to go, right?” Twilight nodded in affirmation. “But you still haven’t answered my question; do you want to go?” Twilight kept her gaze pointed downward, “Yes, and no. I want to go, and help the Professor with whatever it is. But at the same time, I think she’s mad at me.” “Mad at you? What makes you think that?” “You heard her. ‘Some of you have retreated into your studies and shut out the world.’ You know she was talking about me.” “Yes, that does describe you,” Lyra conceded as the two of them entered the dining hall, “But it also describes Moondancer, Star Bright, Sugarcoat, Sunset and a whole slew of other Elves. And even if she was talking just about you, doesn’t that mean you of all people have to go.” Twilight looked at her in confusion, “Celestia set up this whole expedition so that people like you would get a chance to go out into the world and experience it yourself, instead of just reading about it in books.” “But books can take you anywhere!” Twilight exclaimed as she selected a salad for herself, “The Goliath Pass, Vanihiem, even the sunken city of Seaquestria. A good book can take you anywhere.” “Maybe,” Lyra said as she too got her lunch, “but that experience can only be enhanced by actually going to those places. If I described the taste of this blueberry pastry to you, would you be satisfied just by my description, or would you want to eat one for yourself?” “Naturally I’d want to eat one.” She said, taking a bite out of her own pastry. “Oh wow, that really is good.” “Then isn’t it natural that after reading a description of a place, for you to want to experience it for yourself?” “I guess.” “Besides, she’s not asking you to travel to the Dwarven Mountains or The Outlands. It’s just a week in Greenvale, and I’ll be right there with you.” Twilight ate a bite of her leafy salad. Lyra was right, she had been craving to visit the far-off lands that she had read about so many times. To feel the hot wind of The Outlands on her skin, to hear the calls of creatures from the forest at night, to taste the clear waters of the Long River. “Alright, I’ll do it. I’ll go on the expedition. And I’m going to make a checklist, so that you don’t forget anything.” “What? When have I ever forgotten something?” “Well…” “Don’t answer that.” [Party formed: Twilight Sparkle, Lyra Heartstrings] And so, the next morning… The early morning sun illuminated a small train of horse-drawn carriages outside Starswirl’s main entrance. A sizable group of students already stood by, some wearing their school robes while others were wearing more casual attire. Most of them were conversing with each other as their luggage was loaded up. “How did we get stuck with this job?” Twilight asked as she tied off a stack of suitcases. “By showing up first.” Lyra answered as she carried a genuine trunk over to the third carriage. “Carriages leave at seven, students should be ready to leave by six-thirty. And you brought us down at *yawn* five-fifty.” “I had to account for travel-time, bathroom breaks, and any form of unexpected obstacles that could have been blocking our path.” Lyra just laughed and the two of them continued loading luggage. After a few minutes, Professor Celestia came out and began a head count. “Sunny Flare?” “Here.” “Rare Find?” “Here.” “Trixie?” … “Apparently running l- “ “The Great and Powerful TRIXIE has arrived!” sauntering out of the school was a silver haired Star-Elf wearing a flashy purple cape over an expensive light blue robe. On her head sat a matching pointy purple hat. A huge trunk levitated behind her. This was Trixie Lulamoon, the hottest blooded Elf at Starswirl’s. “I trust my carriage is ready?” “Miss Lulamoon, you will be sharing a carriage with your fellow students, just like everyone else.” Celestia informed her. Trixie scoffed before flicking her hair with one hand, “Very well, it will give the common folk more time to bask in my beauty. You,” she pointed at Twilight, “Make sure my bag is well cared for.” She snapped her fingers, canceling her cantrip and causing the trunk to fall towards Twilight. [Twilight makes a Strength saving throw: Failure] The trunk proved to be far heavier than she predicted and floored her beneath its weight. Her classmates stood by and snickered, save Lyra who lifted the trunk off her. “Well, you’re not getting any tips.” Trixie said. “Everyone is present.” Professor Celestia announced. “If no one needs to use the restroom, will everyone please climb aboard a carriage. Only six students per carriage though!” The young wizards all began climbing into the wagons. Twilight and Lyra found themselves in one of the carriages closer to the back of the caravan. They were surprised to find the Wood-Elf, Moondancer already seated in it. Twilight sat next to her, while Lyra took the window seat across from her. The two Half-Elves were followed by two more Elves, another Wood-Elf with lightish red hair, and a Sun-Elf with golden yellow hair. They sat together on the same seat as Lyra. The caravan was about to leave before Minuette, a silver haired Star-Elf pocked her head in. “Can I join you?” She asked. Twilight scooted over to make more room for her. She eagerly hopped in and sat down. With a lurch, the caravan moved out. = = = The group sat in silence for most of the trip. Twilight watched the green, flower dotted hills slowly give way to forest. The dappled sunlight dancing through the window was fascinated to her. “First time in the Greenwood?” The Wood-Elf said, a playful smirk on her face. “First time out of Moon City more like.” She admitted. “Hehe, I’m Twinkleshine by the way.” She gestured to the girl sitting next to her, “This is my best friend, Lemon Hearts.” “You’re Twilight Sparkle, right?” Lemon Hearts asked. “Twilight Velvet’s daughter?” “Yeah.” She said, quietly moving her hair to cover up her ears. Unlike normal Elves, whose ears stuck out away from their heads, her's lay flat against her head, a testament to her mixed parentage. “I’m Twilight’s roommate, Lyra.” Lyra said, drawing the conversation away from her friend. “I’m from Star City, how about you two?” “We both grew up in Sun City.” Twinkleshine explained, “But I have to say, I prefer the more natural style of Moon City to the hard, geometrics of Sun City.” She looked over at Moondancer, “What about you?” The red-haired Elf was reading a book and looked like she hadn’t been paying attention to the conversation. “I- I’m sorry, what did you say?” “We wanted to know where you were from.” “I grew up in Autumnsdale.” She said before putting her head back into the book, more out of embarrassment than disinterest. “That’s nice. What about you…” “Minuette. I’m from Star City as well. I want to become a mugician.” There was a bit of confused silence from the other passengers, finally Twilight asked the question, “What is a mugician?” “A music magician. I want to play truly magical music. When I was little, a traveling group of performers stopped in our town, and their music really was magical. Flowers bloomed, water danced around, tiny fireworks went off. It was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I want to be able to do that kind of magic.” “You might be able to if you stayed in class for once.” Twinkleshine said, sarcastically. “Hey! It’s not my fault I leave before the Professors are done talking. If they say, ‘class is over’ then that should mean the class is over, not ‘I’m going to say something very important now’.” Twilight couldn’t help but giggle a little at the other girl’s outburst. The rest of the trip went by in relative quiet. Until the caravan arrived in Greenvale. The population was mostly Humans, with a few Halflings and Gnomes scattered about. The buildings looked to be made of brick, plaster and wood. Many had straw thatched roofs. The caravan traveled over the cobblestones until it stopped in front of a homely looking building labeled ‘The Cider Barrel’. The students received a number of looks from the local peoples, not hostile looks, but more of curiosity. “May I have your attention!” A short, portly woman with red hair wearing an apron stood next to Celestia. “My name is Cupcake. I want to welcome you all to Greenvale. You will be staying in The Cider Barrel while you are here. We have made up six rooms for you all, so you’ll have to share, three to a room.” “And no co-ed rooms.” Celestia said, firmly. A few of the guys groaned. Twilight looked at Lyra, who only had to nod to let her know that she would stay with her. As for their other roommate… [Ask Minuette. She's a little too hyper for me, but I'm sure Lyra would love to know more about her theory on mixing music and magic] [Ask Moondancer. I've sat next to her in class before, she's a smart student and she loves books. That and she hugged me yesterday.] [Leave it to chance. I think it may be better if we just trust Celestia to assign us a roommate. Talking to people is hard.] Author's Note Voting Link. If you feel Twilight should ask one of the other characters introduced, say so in the comments. If it gets enough likes, that may be the final outcome.
Chapter 2: The AssignmentTwilight took a deep breath and walked over to red-haired Elf as she was taking her bag down. “Miss Moondancer?” “Um, yes.” “I- that is we,” she said, looking back at Lyra, “would like it if you-“ No, that sounded too demanding. “I mean, would you like to share a room with us?” “Oh!” she held her bag close to her chest, “Well, I… Yes, I would like that. Thank you.” She held her hand out and Twilight met it in a very light handshake. [Party member added: Moondancer] The girls went up to the adults and informed them of their rooming group. Cupcake gave them each a copper room key as Celestia took notes. “You have room number seven. Pinkie Pie will show you up. Pinkie!” A human girl with soft curly pink hair hopped out of the inn. She was dressed in a pink dress that ended above her knees. Over that she wore a white apron that had been stained sometime in the past. Her eager eyes were a bright blue. “You called, Mrs. Cake?” “Please show these girls to Room 13. And all of you come back down once you do.” “Aye-Aye, Captain!” The girl saluted and led the three girls inside. Inside the establishment, the three were accosted by the smell of fresh bread and other baked goods. A few patrons sat at small tables, drinking and eating being the most common activities. “Your room is this way.” Pinkie said, leading them up a flight of stairs. Room 13 was a small room with two made beds and a cot. The soft orange curtains over the window were drawn back to reveal the sweeping view of the Greenvale rooftops. “I’ll take the cot.” Lyra said as she dropped her bag down on the temporary bed. Twilight and Moondancer also put their bags down and returned downstairs, passing another group of students being led upstairs by Mrs. Cake. The girls each took a seat in the parlor as the rest of the students deposited their bags and used the restroom again. Trixie made a big show of pulling out a chair and putting her boots up on the table. Twinkleshine, Lemon and Minuette all sit down together. Sunset Shimmer can be seen standing behind the rest of the students, leaning against a wooden beam. Celestia steps up in front of the assembled students. “Thank you all for accepting my offer. As I said, the Elven Council ordered me to investigate a magical phenomenon happening in this area. The Council had received three letters describing an unidentified magic in the river that, according to the reports, were having an affect on the local wildlife and plant-life.” Celestia handed out a stack of papers to the students. “You may proceed with your investigations however you please. You must stay with your room-mates for this project, and you are encouraged to work with the other rooms.” Moondancer took the sheets of paper, with Twilight and Lyra reading them over her shoulders. The first letter was from a local miller, who had noticed an increasing number of fish in the river and who’s daughter apparently said that she could taste a weird magic in it. The second letter was from a girl named Fluttershy. She said that she had felt a strange magic flowing upriver against the current for the last few days. She then said that the animals had been acting very scared, many had disappeared, and that the plants were changing. The third letter was from a lumberjack named Burnt Oak. He too said that the local plant life was changing. He described trees with blue leaves and green wood, and grass that looked yellow and sickly. “Sounds like some kind of mutation.” Moondancer pondered. “What do you girls think we should do?” [Talk to the miller. His seems to be the first letter sent. Also if his daughter could taste the magic in the river, she definitely needs to be looked at.] [Talk to Fluttershy. If she was able to determine from which way the magic was flowing, then she might be a valuable resource of information.] [Talk to the lumberjack. His description of the changes to the plants are very thorough. And it would be a good idea to get a first hand look at these plants.] [Investigate the river. Lets head straight to what appears to be the source of the problem.] Author's Note Voting link here. Why did it take me a month to write less than a thousand words?
Chapter 3: The Mill[ERROR! SPLIT VOTE: MILLER 50%, FLUTTERSHY 50%] [EXTERNAL INFLUENCE REQUIRED] “I can’t decide,” Twilight murmured, “It seems like this Fluttershy has identified the most results of whatever this is. But then we have this miller, whose daughter could apparently taste the magic, that’s not something that should just be glossed over.” “Miller, you mean Water Wheel?” It was the Human girl, Pinkie, she had walked over to their group and was leaning over their shoulders. Twilight and Moondancer were both shocked that they hadn’t noticed her, while Lyra was more curious. “You know him?” “Oh yeah, I collect flour from his mill every week. I could show you if you like.” “Well, that would be quite helpfuuUULLLL!” Twilight’s arm was grabbed, and she felt herself being dragged off by the Human maid. “I’m taking my break now, Mrs. Cake!” “Okay, dearie.” The older woman waved as the Half-Elf and Wood-Elf chased after their classmate and guide. Professor Celestia walked over to her. “She seems, very friendly.” “Professor, you have no idea.” [Temporary party member added: Pinkie Pie] Twilight was eventually released from the girl’s iron grip and allowed to walk with the other girls. As the only ones with elvish blood in the area, they drew a fair amount of attention to themselves. Lyra and Twilight were used to the suspicious gazes, but Moondancer was more used to disappearing into the crowd, and thus felt very uncomfortable. Lyra put her hand on the girl’s shoulder to alleviate some of that discomfort. As the group continued, the spaces between buildings became greater, and the traffic on the road became less. Before too long, the sound of the river filled their ears as the mill came into view. It looked like an atypical water mill; a small wooden house built on the bank of a river with a large wooden wheel turning as the flowing river pushed it. A cart loaded with bags of grain sat outside the front door. A young girl had just grabbed one of the bags before she saw the approaching Elves and hurried inside. By the time the girls had properly arrived, an older Human had appeared in the doorway. He looked to be in his late forties, with a short grey beard and moustache. He wore a pale white work apron over his brown work clothes, all of which was slightly powdery with fresh flour. Behind him stood the girl, who was presumably his daughter. She wore a lilac colored skirt and a cream shirt which were as floury as her father’s. Sat on her nose were a pair of pointed glasses. Her silver hair was tied into two pigtail braids. “Pinkie Pie!” The man, Water Wheel, said, “What are you doing here? Your next order isn’t until Sunday. And who are they?” He seemed rather hostile towards the three strangers. “Eh-hem!” Lyra cleared her throat to draw the man’s attention, “Hello Sir, did you submit a report to the Elvish council regarding a magical anomaly involving the river?” “Yeah, I did. I was expecting them to send an expert, not a couple of kids.” He sighed, “Oh well, at least you’re here. So, what do you want?” “We’d like to interview you and your family before we begin the investigation.” “Alright, come on in.” The three students, plus Pinkie, followed him into the mill. The inside was rather sparsely decorated; a few wooden chairs and stacks of bags of flour acting as the only seating in the main area. Water Wheel sat down on one of the bags, the girl sitting next to him. “Will your wife be joining us?” Moondancer asked. “Mother’s gone on business.” The young girl said, “She won’t be back for a month.” She nodded and the girls all sat down (Pinkie and Lyra took the flour bags). “You already explained the situation in your report, but we’d like to hear it again, in more detail.” Twilight said. “Alright. Well, it started about two weeks ago, we started to see more fish in the river. Normally, a few extra fish is just fine, means we can get more to eat from the market. But these were different from the usual trout and minnows we get; they were colorful and had a weird shape to ‘em. ‘Bout a week ago, a few of them got stuck up on the bank here. Silver Spoon here, thought it would be a good idea to throw ‘em back in the water.” “I was being careful!” The girl, Silver Spoon, retorted. “Not careful enough. She ended up falling in, and me and few friends had to fish her out. When we did, she kept talking about some magic that she could taste in the water. I’m a simple man, I don’t understand what she was talking about. But then I heard about what Burnt Oak said he saw, and I thought it would be best if I told you pointy ears what happened.” Twilight held her chin in thought. ‘A sudden influx of bright colorful fish. That doesn’t quiet seem to match up with what the reports Fluttershy and Burnt Oak had filled out said.' Water Wheel leaned forwards, “Is there anything else you want to know?” Author's Note Firstly, thank you to the two people who voted. Secondly, because it was a split vote, I resorted to the old fashioned coin toss between the two choices which were selected (Results: 2 for the mill, 1 for Fluttershy, and one nickel lost on a hill somewhere. You guys owe me 5 cents). Moving on to the more immediate matter, This chapter is ending in what I will be calling, An Open Voting. Leave any questions or actions you want Twilight and the party to ask/make down in the comments section. Follow questions will also be asked. Next chapter I will give credit to the persons who submitted. It's just a way for you, the readers, to be more engaged with this story. Here's hoping for a faster update next time, -Raven618
Chapter 4: Investigations“Would it be possible for you to show us these fish?” Twilight asked. “I should be able to.” Water Wheel said, standing up, “A few of them keep flopping up on the riverbank. If you all will follow me.” The group stood up and walked outside. The river was about three yards wide, with grey stones covered in plant-life lining each bank. The massive wooden wheel turned endlessly next to them. “Here’s one.” Water Wheel said, picking something up off the rocks. “What do you make of this?” [Investigation check: Twilight 21, Lyra 19, Moondancer Nat 1, Pinkie 13] “That’s a fish?” Moondancer asked. The fish was virtually flat, like someone had taken a fish and squeezed their hands together with the fish in between. Size wise it was rather small, fitting perfectly into the adult human’s hand. Its fins were long and delicate. Most striking was the color, a bright blue with yellow fins and stripes lining the body. “Yes, that is a fish.” Twilight said, “But it belongs on a coral reef.” “Coral reef?” Silver Spoon asked. “It’s a place in the ocean where fish like this live.” Lyra explained, “This fish shouldn’t even be able to breath in a river, much less swim the length of the Long River into the middle of Deradia.” She turned to Water Wheel, “Did the rest of the fish look like this?” “Not just like that. They’re all different colors and shapes. But they are all similar to this, ocean fish.” Twilight decided to address their second concern. “Does you family have any strong magic users in it, Mr. Wheel?” “My family? No, my father and grandfathers were all simple men.” “What about your wife’s family?” “Not to my knowledge. But Gilded, my wife’s sister, has mentioned that they are descendants of one of the old noble houses. So there might be some magic there.” [Twilight performs a history check: 14] Prior to the Unification, the Humans were governed by eight noble houses, most of which were rumored to have sorcery in their blood lines. However, those rumors were never confirmed, and the houses were disbanded hundreds of years ago, meaning any magic from that time would be little more than a remnant. Twilight bent down so she was eye level with the silver haired girl. “Silver, can you tell us what it was that you tasted when you fell in the river?” “It was weird. It was like someone lit a match in my mouth, but it wasn’t hot or burning. It tasted, vast. Like so much had been fit into a space that was so small.” She looked at the young Half-Elf, “I can’t really explain it.” “You’re sure it was magic you were tasting?” she asked. “I’ve been in the river before, it never tasted like that. And I know it was magic! I don’t know how I know, but I do know!” Water Wheel stepped forwards, “Is there something wrong?” “I don’t know.” Twilight said, standing up. “I’ve never heard of someone describing magic as a taste before. But I don’t have any reason to doubt her word.” “So, what do we do now?” Moondancer asked. Author's Note No vote this time, and that is because I made a mistake in the last chapter. Twilight, Lyra, and Moondancer have each learned the spell 'Detect Magic.' The next chapter will have them using that spell to further the investigation. For the sake of consistency, all three of them know the spells: Telekinesis (as seen the show), Light (not the one from DnD, the one Snips uses in Boast Busters), and Detect Magic. They can also make a spark of magic (Sweetie Belle does this in Babs Seed), it's not really a spell, but it's something.
Chapter 5: MagicTwilight turned back so she was looking Silver Spoon in the eye. “Silver Spoon, I’m going to cast a spell that will let me see the magic inside of you. Will you be alright if I do that?” Silver seemed to ponder for a moment, “Sure! Go ahead.” “Thank you.” Twilight held her staff out in front of her, the purple gemstone only a few inches away from her face. “Detect magic!” With those words, her purple eyes began to glow with a brilliant blue light. From Twilight’s point of view, the world turned black. The earth, the rocks they were standing on, it all faded out of view. Silver Spoon still stood in front of her, but she appeared as if someone had done a pencil sketch of her all in one color, appropriately silver. Or that is what she should have been seeing. But instead she saw, Twilight couldn’t quite describe it. It looked like a stream of thin, dark blue growths, snaking out of her abdomen and reaching into her chest and upper legs. “That’s, not good.” She said aloud. “What? What’s wrong with her?” the father demanded. “She has,” She paused to gather her thoughts. “Silver, you have some kind of, foreign magic inside you, and it seems to be, growing or spreading. There isn’t a lot, but it’s definitely there.” Silver became uneasy, “Can you get it out?” “No.” Twilight smiled, “But I’m certain that my teacher can. She’ll get that bad magic out of you.” Silver seemed to brighten at this. Twilight closed her eyes. “Now, please point me to the river.” Moondancer grabbed her shoulders and slowly turned her so that she was facing the water. “Wait, why does she need help?” Pinkie, who had previously been mesmerized by the display of magic, asked. Lyra answered her, “When the spell Twilight is using is cast, the caster can see all the magic around them. But that’s just about all they can see. So, wizards who aren’t used to seeing the world that way can get, well, dizzy.” Twilight was now facing the river, “You can open your eyes now, Twilight.” She did, and what she saw frightened her. “It’s, it’s filled with magic.” Huge clouds of dark blue magic were flowing upstream, almost filling the river channel. “It looks like the same magic inside Silver, but there is a lot more of it.” She called off the detect magic spell, and the world returned to normal. “It’s coming from downstream.” “Come on, let’s go check it out!” Pinkie said, running off downstream. “Woah! Hold on a minute!” Moondancer said. Pinkie’s heels left twin tracks in the dirt as she skid to a stop. “Shouldn’t we tell Professor Celestia about Silver and the river first?” “Tell her what?” Lyra countered, “All we know is that there’s a kind of magic and strange fish in the river, and that this magic is also in this girl. We don’t know where it’s coming from, or what it really does. We need to meet up with the rest of the class first and find out if this is dangerous or not.” Twilight put her hand on her chin in thought. [Find the source of the magic. We need to find out where this magic is coming from. Then we can stop it at its source.] [Tell Celestia. She’s the magic expert, she’ll know what this is and how to counter it.] [Inform the rest of the students about the discovery. We are supposed to work together, and they might have more information than we do.] Author's Note Vote on what to do next here.
