Chapters Chapter One- The Ascendant Spark
The sun, at Celestia's command, rose again, marking another dawn. The brilliant solar rays shone through a tower window, crossing the face of a blue stallion, rousing him from slumber. He sat up, his unkempt scarlet mane obscuring his vision. The stallion crawled out of bed, his hooves striking the stone of the tower floor loudly as he walked to, then down, the staircase to a room filled with a shallow pool of aqua-tinted water. He hopped into the frigid pool casually, then jumped out of it, wide awake, his fur dripping onto the stone floor. He walked down the spiraling staircase to another room, then sat on a wooden stool, facing a mirror. He gave a moment of fleeting attention to his mane, magically arranging it to stay backwards, slick, out of his violet eyes. Another second was spent adjusting his mane's peculiar black streak, moving individual strands to align it perfectly. He turned to the back wall of the room, levitating one of several dark purple capes onto his back.
He turned to the mirror, smiling at himself, then trotted down the stairs once again. He walked past his comfortable sitting room, exited his tower suite through an ornate wooden door, taking a moment to breathe before continuing into a castle hallway. After countless flights of stairs and expansive hallways, the unicorn passed the contingent of Royal Guards, heading into Canterlot proper. He enjoyed a breakfast of fruity Danish, an amazing pastry originating from Denmarek, before returning to the Castle. The main avenues leading from Canterlot's civil areas to the Royal Castle were congested, and security screenings were intense as of late. The fiasco at the wedding of Celestia's niece.... Nevertheless, the unicorn was patient, surveying the crowd as he waited, nevertheless irritated at having to enter the Castle through public thoroughfares.
When, at last, he stood before a guardsman, he simply looked at him and the guard lowered the forcefield blocking the entrance.
“Pleasure to see you, Master Sparkchaser, sir.” The guard nodded his head respectfully. Sparkchaser contemplated rolling his eyes, but thought better of it, prefering to turn away entirely, ignoring the guard.
He walked on, following a crowd of hundreds into the Castle, smiling as he walked through the familiar door. Only a few hoofsteps past the threshold, though, and four guards approached him, parting the mass of ponies, kneeling in front of him. He stepped between them, walking on, as they parted the crowd, escorting him into a small glass room at the back of the atrium. The chamber door sealed, and the floor rose magically, carrying the five ponies to the apex of the castle, above the atrium's vaulted ceiling, past floors of scholars, guards, and visitors, to another massive room. The guards returned to the atrium in the elevator as Sparkchaser walked on alone.
The room was dark, the walls and ceiling painted black, the tiniest of pinpricks in the ceiling above provided something akin to starlight. A bright white orb shined above, a magical imitation of the moon. Sparkchaser stood directly under this orb and knelt, his head almost touching the floor.
“Stand up, my student. You need not observe tradition so closely.” Princess Luna spoke softly, her natural voice easily carrying to Sparkchaser. Very different from her outside demeanor, the Princess served by Sparkchaser was neither abraisive nor direct.
“Neither do the Royal Guard, but somepony insists on demanding it of them.” Sparkchaser smiled and raised his head, his teacher and friend standing before him gracefully.
“The Royal Guard is not composed entirely of brilliant, talented unicorns.” Luna laughed and brightened the room slightly, taking in the sight of her polished, if nervous, protege.
“I am hardly the most brilliant of the Equestrian unicorn population, teacher. Not even a close second, if a second at all, for your sister's own student, Lady Sparkle, eclipses me in every way.”
Luna sighed at her student, ignoring the comment about Celestia's pupil. “Sparkchaser, I am allowed to exaggerate in an attempt to boost my student's ego and calm his nerves, especially today.”
“Teacher, I have no reason to be nervous today. True, I may be the youngest unicorn to ever be considered a graduate of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, but that is only because Lady Sparkle declined graduation, due to her preference for her adopted residence and her studies. I have already passed every examination needed to graduate, many of them with the highest recorded scores in Equestrian history. I am the third male graduate in over two centuries. And I owe it all to you, teacher,” Sparkchaser bowed again. Luna blushed softly. “Do you have any final advice for me? A last word during our last hour as student and teacher?” A single tear fell down Sparkchaser's cheek as he looked at his proud mentor.
“Sparkchaser, you need no advice. But I will repeat only what I have told you every day. Magic is a gift, not a tool. Treat it as a friend. It is a part of you, but it is so much more. Your magic is what makes Sparkchaser who he is. You know this better than any student in millenia. Celestia has taught many gifted students, but I am lucky that my very first protege possesses true potential, beyond that of his contemporaries and many of his teachers. No, my student, I will not spend this past hour on lessons and lectures. I will spend it as friends. Sit with me, please.”
Sparkchaser sat, his eyes bright. She poured him warm tea, unusual for this summer day, but it was pleasantly cool in Luna's wing of the Castle. He sipped it, savoring the bitter taste, smiling at her.
“Luna, why me? What is so special about me?” Luna had to refrain from rolling her eyes. True, the younger of the Alicorn Sisters could be naïve at times, but she still possessed the wisdom of a mare of her age. Sparkchaser asked this question often, and it perplexed her every time.
“For once, I will not attempt to compliment you, or even answer you. Instead, I will ask you a question.” Luna smiled inwardly. Perhaps, after the past months had been spent solely on refining Sparkchaser's self esteem, the lack of which could truly impede magic, Luna had found a true solution. Celestia and the junior teachers seemed to believe that Sparkchaser would grow into his precocious talent, but Luna knew the issue was deeper. Sparkchaser was capable of amazing things, like Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's protégé. Twilight, along with her friends, were tied with the Elements of Harmony. The six of them were exceptional, and that exceptional inner strength, unity and dedication had saved Equestria... It had saved Equestria from Luna's own fury. Twilight and her friends had made Luna whole again, and Luna wondered in Sparkchaser's lack of self-knowledge and self-assurance was because he saw that as an image to live up to.
“Teacher?” Sparkchaser's eyebrow twitched. Luna giggled. The eyebrow-twitch was a sign he was confused. It was his only tell that she knew of, and he had worked for months to conceal it, to control it. Luna had attempted to be open-minded, but she had outright laughed at him for it once.
“Sparkchaser, why not you? What is less than special about you?” Luna watched as his mouth opened, as if he knew what she was going to say and had his response planned, and then it closed again. Perhaps she truly had caught him off guard.
“Are you seriously using 'Why not?' as a response to 'Why?'” Sparkchaser looked incredulous.
This wasn't the lesson Luna had intended, and yet it may be a much more appropriate lesson. Sparkchaser was, in all honesty, barely a stallion. Socially, he was without a history. He was shy, as most young stallions were, but by adulthood, social experience diluted that nature. Sparkchaser had none. Luna seized the opportunity to sneak in a final, important lesson.
“I find, my student, that asking 'why not?' rarely closes the doors of opportunity. The heavy winds of inquisitive doubt will slam such doors shut, but a breeze of curious amusement can be followed through multiple doors, all leading to an ultimate end.” Luna enjoyed riddles and metaphors as much as the next mare, but Sparkchaser's ravenous mind devoured them. Though using them as teaching tools had failed at first, Luna quickly found that the lesson within the meaning needed to be indirect. While trying to dissect the meaning of the metaphor, Sparkchaser often found himself contemplating personal thoughts, learning a lesson unrelated to the task. He thought it an accident, none the wiser of Luna's trickery. Celestia was lucky. Twilight had been forced to learn of friendship's worth, and had been intrigued enough to study further without provocation. For now, that seemed enough. Contrariwise, Sparkchaser seemed to flinch at the very idea of even speaking to another pony without purposeful reason. Luna had further, darker worries concerning Sparkchaser's friendless nature, but she kept those well to herself.
Sparkchaser stuttered, Luna's labyrinthine statement visibly perplexing him. His eyes turned down gently, her sign that the “unintended” lesson had hit home. Intriguingly, the hidden lesson was also the answer, however indirectly, to Sparkchaser's question.
“Luna, I'm...” Sparkchaser sipped his tea, his hooves shakier than ever before, the anticipation ruining his collected appearance. He stammered and then said something very quickly. It sounded like 'Naitlspalrummm...'. Sparkchaser trailed off as he realized his lack of clarity. A knock sounded at the door, asking for the two of them. Luna rose.
“It is time, my student.” She left him, walking towards the door, and he followed, cold and controlled again, tradition dictating how far behind his teacher he walked, how fast they journeyed from Luna's tower to the Garden Courtyard, and how many guards surrounded them as they walked.
They passed private rooms, many of which Sparkchaser knew well. He had studied in the Castle for a long time, learning magic, learning mindfulness, but leaving his soul, heart, and body empty, neglected in the pursuit of knowledge. When she met him, the impact of an illness on his power lead him to take better care of himself. This pleased Luna. Sparkchaser, as a foal, had been naturally strong, tall, and well built. Years of study and sleepless nights had taken his physical integrity. He had learned, brutally, that magic required a dedication of oneself to something beyond knowledge. It required a dedication to one's health, as he had learned then. It also required a third dedication, of which the unicorn was greatly lacking, perhaps purposefully.
Only a short distance, vertically, from the bustling unicorns and pegasi setting the stage for the coming ceremony, Luna quickly stole a glance at a room she remembered, but thankfully Sparkchaser did not. Luna had only truly been in the Castle for around two years. The room she saw had been where he met her. His fear and doubt, in the dark cloud of sickness, was horrifying. Luna had become his teacher only after he proved to her he would never fall that far again. She could only imagine the horror of watching him decline.
With every step of their descent, the years of their friendship and tutelage seemed to elongate. Hours felt like days, and days like months. To Luna, her banishment was a brief rebellious stint compared to the past years. Sparkchaser, however, was completely overwhelmed by the feeling of decades. She saw a tear in his eye. She had only seen him cry once before. Her throat locked in memory. Those tears had fallen much like these had, at the whim of a ticking clock. Sparkchaser had told her that life was too short, and she had laughed then, but... Sparkchaser had every reason to say that. He was exhausted at the time, looking out over Equestria, the lights of Canterlot almost obscuring the tiny specks of other towns on the horizon.
“Luna...” he had said, weakly. “For every single light I see, there must be ten, twenty, two hundred ponies. Each of them has a story, just like me, and each of them is completely and totally different from any other. And...” His tears had caused him to hiccup, nearly driving Luna to an emotional outburst of her own. “And even if I try, even if I had tried since foalhood, there is no way I could every know them all. There is no way I could give every single one of them the time and the effort they deserve.” After a moment of staring at the expanse of Equestia, he fell asleep standing up, his hooves leaving imprints in the balcony railings.
Luna looked at the single tear falling from his student's eye, remembering the hundreds that had followed the same path, and she smiled. Her student, deep inside, knew the same thing that every pegasus, unicorn, earth pony knew, that everypony, whether a subject of Celestia and herself or a member of a distant land, knew.
The decades-long years that preceded this moment seemed to snap back as the door to the courtyard opened. Instead of months, it felt like minutes had passed. Sparkchaser's years with her was now a brief memory as they proceeded beyond the arched door. Sparkchaser stepped in front of her, in front of the guards, walking to a raised stage alone, where Celestia stood, surrounded by unicorns famed for their mastery of spells, recruited to teach the next decades of students. Sparkchaser swallowed his fears and stepped onto the stage, his head raised high, his mostly-red mane slick with sweat. A lock of hair from the black streak sprung loose, hanging between his eyes. This was either a pathetically nervous accident, or an unintentional statement of confidence, and only Sparkchaser knew which.
He saw Twilight Sparkle and her friends in the audience, their presence likely requested by Celestia. Cadenza, Celestia's niece, sat next to her husband, Shining Armor, smiling. Sparkchaser's fragile confidence nearly melted as he felt the gazes of Equestria's most elite ponies. Ceremoniously, he used magic to light a pair of torches at the back of the courtyard, one with red flame, the other with blue, symbolizing the colors of his mane, coat, and cutie mark. At this signal, Luna strolled regally to the stage, fluttering up to stand next to him, and he smiled slightly at her. She levitated a scroll to him, a legal document proving his graduation. Next, she levitated a medallion, with a red and blue cord, lowering it on to his head. It was only four inches from his horn when an echo sounded from behind them. The entire gathering, even the unflappable mares at Celestia's hooves, turned to look at the back wall of the stage.
The white wall, adorned with blue and red drapery, was turning a sickening green. Swift as a bolt of lightning, a black thing shot from the wall, tearing through it like wet paper. Celestia's wings were quicker still, she was airborne, a magical aura surrounding the crowd. The projectile stopped extraordinarily quickly. Now sitting centerstage, the object unfolded. Black, vaguely pony-shaped, with strange holes in its limbs, sharp, pointed teeth, sickly eyes, and awkward, insectoid wings... A changeling glared menacingly as scores of its brethren poured from the back wall, swarming the ceremony's guests.
Chapter Two- Company of Eleven
Celestia, ruling Princess of Equestria, alicorn goddess of the day, struck the table in front of her with her hoof. While not necessary, as the ten ponies encircling the table were completely and totally intent on her, it was tradition to call such a meeting to order with a strike of the hoof.
“Just yesterday, my friends, an attempt was made on my life by a group of changelings. Each and every one of you was there as well, and equally at risk. All of Equestria was at risk. All of Equestria remains at risk.” Celestia's face was somber. Luna's was just as dismayed, and Princess Cadance was visibly close to tears. Her husband, Shining Armor, couldn't blame her. Twilight Sparkle and her friends were blank-faced. Sparkchaser frowned. The changelings had gotten bold, indeed. No longer content to hide, surviving in Equestria's fringes, Chrysalis had instilled a drive in her brood. With Celestia, Luna, and Cadance gone, the changelings could feast freely, and Chrysalis was hellbent on forcing that nightmarish end.
“This latest defeat,” Celestia continued, “was quite a setback for Chrysalis. It may be a few weeks before she can attempt another strike, or worse.” The gathering shivered. Some time ago, the changelings had surrounded Hoofington, laying siege to the city. Celestia herself had saved the town, routing the Changelings. Cadance and Shining Armor had returned from their honeymoon shortly after, and thus Canterlot was protected from further changeling invasion, but they had already infiltrated the capital by the scores. Celestia cursed her naivety.
“Firstly, my little ponies, I must apologize to all of you. Had I realized that Chrysalis would return, that her grandiose plan on Cadenza's wedding day was only the beginning, I would never have let them go, and Canterlot would never have been at risk. Hoofington wouldn't have had to endure for several days. I blame myself. Thank you, Shining Armor. Forcing the changelings out of Canterlot with an enclosing force field was brilliant and heroic. You held the lives of everypony in Equestria in your hooves, and you did not disappoint. Though Canterlot is safe, we must be vigilant. If a single whisper of Chrysalis's return reaches your ears, come to me.” Celestia's faith in her friends showed on her face as she sat down, looking drained. Beside her, Luna rose to her hooves.
“Sister, thank you. Were it not for your incredibly rapid actions, there would not have been anypony to save yesterday.” Luna nodded her head respectfully. “Now, my friends, I must leave you. Celestia and I have decided that I will stay in Vanhoofer, our northernmost city, to monitor the borders. The skilled mare cartographers will help me in my task.” Luna turned, leaving the room, then looked back. “Good luck, my little ponies.”
Twilight stood up, clearly intending to talk, but Rainbow Dash flapped her wings impatiently.
“Princess, I move we take the fight to the changelings! Round up some more unicorns, a few pegasi fighters, and thrash Chrysalis's sorry flank!” Dash's outburst earned her a glare from Twilight, who sat down. Celestia did not look surprised, she had expected somepony to suggest this.
“Rainbow Dash, my loyal subject, please. Even if they are the worst enemy Equestria has faced in decades, I cannot condone such harsh actions against the changelings. Since Luna and first revealed ourselves, it has been our policy to deal with threats through tolerance, reasoning and acceptance. The most decisive actions taken in Equestria's history have been imprisonment and banishment of single individuals. If Chrysalis was removed from the changeling hierarchy, they would continue to attempt to fulfill her goals.” Celestia's grim composure was shocking to her gathered audience. None of them had ever seen the Princess so close to hopelessness.
Twilight stood again. “Princess, with Cadance and my brother here, isn't Equestria safe for the time being?”
“Yes, Twilight. The next few months may prove stressful, but Equestria is in no more danger than it ever was before. It is clear Chrysalis has been plotting her campaign for some time. Her first strike at your wedding, Cadance, ended in a critical mistake. If that had gone as planned, Equestria's resistance would be gone. Cadance, I thank you again. Were it not for your love for Shining Armor, Equestria would be truly hopeless.” Celestia bowed her head to Cadance, a show of tremendous respect. Twilight's relieved face was enough to bring everypony back to a general calm. The grim atmosphere seemed much lighter with some white teeth showing around the room. The meeting quickly dissolved into separate conversations. Twilight struck the table with her hoof.
“Guys, listen!” Twilight sighed. “I know Equestria is safe, but if the Elements will be needed, we sho-”
Applejack stood, cutting Twilight off. “Twilight, 'ah know you have Equestria's best interests at heart. 'Ah know what you're about to say. We should all stay here, in Canterlot, until this all blows over. Frankly, 'ah couldn't feel any different. Even if mah family will miss me, even if our help is needed in Ponyville, Ponyville needs us here.” Twilight's face was awestruck. She had expected resistance from the orange pony, who was probably tied to Ponyville more than any other pony present.
“Applejack's right, Twilight! If things go all loopy again in Canterlot, it would be best if we were here to fix things up super quick!” Though she was only talking for the sake of talking, Pinkie Pie's agreement meant a lot to Twilight.
“Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy? Rarity?” Twilight looked at her remaining friends. “Would any of you have objections to an extended stay away from home?”
Rarity shook her head decisively, to nopony's surprise. Rainbow Dash's sarcastic answer went without a response, to Dash's chagrin. Fluttershy's simple “Of course not.” settled the matter. The six friends would be staying in Canterlot indefinitely.
The ten of them split apart, going their separate ways. Twilight and her friends went to settle in for an extended stay in the Castle. Shining Armor, with Cadance's support, renewed Canterlot's forcefield, while Sparkchaser and Celestia retired to their respective chambers for some time with their thoughts.
Sparkchaser sat on his bed, his forehooves wrapped tightly around a pillow, his brain locked in memory. The previous afternoon had been traumatic for the young colt. The changelings, having breached the wall, had surrounded the shielded ponies. The stalemate lasted for a moment before the changelings charged, cracking Celestia's force field. Sparkchaser had smelled the disgustingly sweet odor of the changelings as the ravenous horde battered the field. By the time the field had given way, Sparkchaser was on the ground, hands over his ears. He hadn't seen Shining Armor's spell push the changelings away, he hadn't heard a hundred sighs of relief. His eyes and ears were shut. He had lay there, quivering, until Luna had tapped him with her hoof. He looked up, expecting a hideous face, and instead saw the soft features of his concerned teacher. The Princess had helped him to his feet and led him inside. Celestia had asked her and Sparkchaser to meet with the rest of the group later that evening, and Luna had very plainly declined. Sparkchaser. Celestia had been kind to hold the meeting the next day.
Sparkchaser's memories ceased. His eyes opened, and he adjusted his position. He sat on his bed, forlegs at his side, hindlegs bent comfortably beneath him. He breathed deeply, feeling every tiny component of his body. He levitated himself slightly, focusing his energy into magical parlor tricks to calm his mind. Blue and red flames danced around him, requiring every ounce of concentration. His shaky breaths steadied, and he returned to a sitting position. He had not acted yesterday. That could not be changed. Clearly, Celestia and Luna had a reason for him to have been at that meeting. He would be ready to be calm. He would be ready to act.
Twilight Sparkle and her friends walked across an extensive garden, filled with statues and plants. The tower Celestia had generously given them to stay in was in a distant section of the castle, and the quickest path two it was through the Sculpture Gardens. The six of them rushed quickly past the statue of Discord, locked in the same expression of dismay the friends had left him in. They chatted about various things amongst themselves. Fluttershy was offering to help Rarity sell dresses in Canterlot, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were trading barbs, and Pinkie was jumping back and forth, butting in and out of conversations quite astoundingly. The friends were laughing, quite content.
Twilight opened the door to the tower, smiling as her friends marveled at the accommodating room. Twilight had stayed here once before, though she didn't recall the occasion. It had several bedrooms upstairs, as well as the living room they were standing in. They would eat with the Princess, in the main hall. Rainbow Dash flew up the spiraling staircase (which circled the whole lower floor, as Rarity pointed out, as if it were a terrifying, “tacky” concept), quickly laying claim to a bedroom of her choice. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were next, almost immediately followed by Rarity. Fluttershy decided to take whatever she was given, and folded her hindlegs, sitting on a couch. Twilight sat across from her, smiling.
“Twilight, I just have to ask, why does the Princess have an empty tower fully furnished?” Fluttershy looked perplexed. Twilight herself had asked that question once, and she smiled amiably.
“She had some guardsmen move the furniture into the tower a few hours ago, anticipating our stay. It's normally empty. It was built to house the Royal Guard Administration, but they moved to Coltsonville decades ago.” Fluttershy nodded appreciatively and curled into a ball, closing her eyes peacefully. Twilight smiled. How could anypony be so peaceful?
The ponies busied themselves settling into their rooms, until Twilight told them it was close to dinnertime. She remembered Celestia's scheduling perfectly. The Garden was beautiful at dusk, the orange and purple rays reflecting off pools of water.
The six ponies gathered around the table for dinner, waiting for their host. After a few minutes,Twilight looked out the high, arching window, her mouth wide and curved as a white figure lowered the sun, and from behind, the light of the moon filled the room.
Celestia stepped through the door, her multicolored mane cascading over her shoulders, flowing without wind. The godess smiled at her subjects, and sat at the head of the table, waiting a moment. Cadance and Shining Armor walked into the room from a side door, her wing around him tightly, smiling. The greetings that followed were friendly, and Cadance pulled out a chair for her stallion, nuzzling him. The entire room let out a teasing 'awww' and Shining Armor blushed. He still wore Cadance's horn ring proudly.
Twilight looked at Celestia, wondering why the table was not yet piled with food. The ever-interpretive Celestia silenced her student with a smile, as another set of hooves entered the room. Sparkchaser smiled at Cadance and her husband, and bowed to Celestia before taking his seat. Celestia smiled and stood.
“It's been a while since I've had such a family to dine with. I've missed you, Twilight. I've missed all of you.” Celestia sat down, and well-dressed guardsmen walked into the room, carrying trays of salads, arrangements of various hay-pastas and sauces, a wide selection of fruits, and a small platter of fish. Applejack in particular turned her nose up slightly at the sight of the fish, but Rainbow Dash and Sparkchaser took generous helpings of it alongside pasta and salad.
“So Sparkchaser, how have your studies been going?” Twilight smiled at the stallion as she turned the topic to academics.
“Uhr...” Sparkchaser blushed, unused to talking through dinner, then swallowed visibly. “Well enough, Lady Sparkle.”
A pair of spittle-jets crossed the table as both Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie spat out their tea. Applejack nearly choked in laughter. Sparkchaser looked at them and lowered his head.
“There's no need to be so formal, Sparkchaser. Please, just call me Twilight.” Sparkchaser mumbled an assent and kept his head down.
“So Cadance, how was the honeymoon? How does Twilight's decorated brother measure up?” Rainbow Dash cackled at her own joke, and Cadance blushed as Shining Armor looked from Dash to Celestia, aghast.
“Dash, quit teasing.” Applejack's words were broken by suppressed laughter. “Those jokes got old a few minutes after the wedding, there's no need to start shoving them around aga-” Applejack lost her attempt at composure, laughing openly. Sparkchaser looked back and forth, as if watching a sporting match, following the conversation eagerly. Even Celestia was suppressing a grin.
“Well, it's a fair assumption he got the job done, otherwise she wouldn't have brought him back so early.” Rarity covered her mouth a second too late, her joke slipping into the vortex of laughter.
Even Twilight laughed at Rarity's remark. Cadance shot Rainbow Dash a dirty look and squeezed Shining Armor with her wing, whispering something to him. He chuckled.
“Ohhhoho-o! Private jokes, now? Is he worthy of your 'Amore', Cadance?” Dash grinned as Shining Armor and Cadance looked at each other, holding in a laugh at Rainbow's lame pun.
Cadance kissed her husband's cheek and turned to Rainbow Dash, grinning. “At least I have a stallion to give it to, Rainbow.” The entire table laughed at this one, while Rainbow Dash stewed, her face red. Cadance's joke had been cruel, perhaps, but Rainbow had to admit it wasn't a bad one. She had courted a few colts before, but most of them hadn't been too interested. She hadn't been bold enough to court a pair or a trio yet, which limited her options a bit in Ponyville.
“At least I'm not keeping a stallion all to myself, Cadenza!” Rainbow's venomous retort silenced the entire table. Cadance turned, looking at Shining Armor, her eyes quivering. Celestia clapped her hooves, standing up. The air in the room, tense just a moment ago, fell to a still calm, and Celestia sat again, smiling.
“Celestia, tell your cook he knows his fish.” Rainbow Dash's voice was subdued, eliciting raised eyebrows from her friends.
“Of course, my little pony. Would you like to give him your compliments yourself?” Celestia looked expectantly at Rainbow Dash, who looked flustered.
“It's no trouble, Princess. Forget I said anything.” Dash looked down again, deciding against another conversational segue.
Sparkchaser snickered to himself, then noticed everypony looking his way. “Sorry,” he squeaked, his former blush returning quickly.
Rainbow Dash yawned. “It's fine, Sparky. No need to worry.” She leaned back, setting her napkin on her plate and putting her hooves behind her head. Rarity glared at her. She stuck her tongue out quickly, which Rarity ignored, looking back at her meal.
Twilight looked across the room after a few moments of silent eating. Cadance and Shining Armor seemed lost in each other's eyes again, while everypony else was lost in their meal. Trying not to poke at a fight, Twilight left the couple alone, instead raising a general topic.
“So, does anypony have plans for the next few days?” She smiled awkwardly.
“I must attend to royal duties for much of the day, of course, which are even more extensive than usual, due to Equestria's present situation,” said the princess, shrugging. “If you were making an open request for a pony to spend time with, I regret being unavaliable. It has been far too long, my student.” Twilight looked at Celestia understandingly.
“That wasn't exactly my intent, Princess, but you are right. It would be wonderful to spend some time with somepony. I wish you were available. Is there anyway I can help you?” Twilight's face seemed to light up at the thought of time with her mentor. Sparkchaser looked at her understandingly. With Luna gone, he felt completely alone.
“Sadly, you cannot, Twilight. Tommorow's agenda has me away from the city for much of the day. Perhaps some other time.” Celestia's face was very apologetic. Twilight nodded.
“Now that I think about it, I don't feel like spending time alone. Rainbow? Pinkie? Applejack? Rarity? Fluttershy?” Twilight didn't leave any of her friends' names out, for fear of alienating them. “Are any of you free tomorrow? A tour around Canterlot perhaps, maybe some shopping?” Twilight's face widened into a smile of desperation.
“That's alright, Rainbow. Anypony else?” Twilight looked around. Rarity and Fluttershy announced their plans for a day of dressmaking. Fluttershy had 'inspired a completely unique fashion revolution', and Rarity had been begging her to help for months. Applejack and Pinkie Pie had a “secret” they couldn't tell Twilight, which Applejack clearly was struggling with. Twilight sighed. “Thanks anyway, everypony.”
Celestia stood again, signalling to a pony outside the room. A dessert course was brought in, complete with a massive, flaming cauldron of chocolate fondue. The bittersweet cakes were even more exceptional when accompanied by this delectable sauce.
“Ow!” The entire table turned their heads, looking at Fluttershy. “Oh, I'm sorry, everypony. I didn't mean to startle you.” She rubbed her head. “Somehow, something hit my head. I guess some of these delicious sweets are a little, um, slippery.”
“Slippery mah flank, Fluttershy!” Applejack turned to look at Rainbow Dash. “'Ah didn't see nothin', but 'ah'd bet a week's worth of apple pie that you was tryin' tah' bean me with that de'sert, and y'all just missed.” Rainbow Dash stared back. Her mouth was sealed tight, but her eyes smiled betrayingly. Instead of confessing to the act, Rainbow decided to flick another bite-sized cake at Applejack, ducking under the table to avoid any dirty looks or flying desserts.
Applejack chuckled and set a tray of small, sticky dumplings on the floor. She kicked her hoof, sending the sweets sliding. A splattering sound was heard, shortly followed by Rainbow Dash cursing loudly. “Oops, 'ah guess my hoof slipped.” The entire table, even the noble alicorn sitting at its head, erupted into cacophonous laughter. Celestia clapped her hooves, and an attendant brought a towel for Rainbow Dash. She wiped herself off under the table and climbed back into her cushioned seat, her hindlegs cracking loudly as she folded them under her tail. The table winced, but Dash's expression was one of relief.
“Thank Celestia, I thought those would never pop!” She smiled, leaning back.
“You're quite welcome, Rainbow Dash.” The cyan mare looked up nervously as the entire table chuckled at her.
“I think we're all quite filled, and it sounds like most of you have a day to look forward to. Perhaps we should retire for the evening, my little ponies.” Princess Celestia stood up, bidding her friends good night, then left the room first, needing rest before the trials of her next day. Cadance and Shining Armor left together, smiling at each other, slipping back into their own little world. Fluttershy and Rarity strolled out together, aiming for the mare's room before they returned. Sparkchaser stood, bid the gathered ponies good night, and left. Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash, who sighed, anticipating a lecture.
“She had no right to say anything about my personal life, but she did, so I fought back. There's nothing wrong with that!” Rainbow blew her mane out of her face, frowning defensively as she tried to keep Twilight from lecturing her until Celestia rose the morning sun.
“Rainbow, I think you really hurt her. How do you know she plans on 'keeping him for herself', anyway? She could just be waiting for takers!” Twilight looked at Dash incredulously.
“I'm sure she's had plenty already, and I'm sure she's turned them all down. That's not even the point!” Dash huffed, annoyed. “She didn't have to tell everyone that I wasn't getting any action!”
Twilight sighed and stood up. “Rainbow, as your friend, I'm asking you to apologize. I'm sure if you do, Cadance will, too.” Rainbow grunted affirmitavely. “Good. Let's all get to bed.” Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash followed her without complaint, all happy that a lecture was avoided, because it would have surely kept them all up throughout the night.
Sparkchaser lay in his bed, awake. He was still quite embarrased, but he had laughed his fair share at dinner. Maybe spending time with other ponies wasn't a bad idea. The next few days, at least, would give him a chance to try it out. He yawned and rolled over, laying on his side. Maybe Luna was right, he thought, curiously. Maybe friendship is more important than magic . The blue-and-red colt drifted off, smiling, the joy of discovery lulling him to sleep as it did when he was but a foal.
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Chapter Three- Sputter, Flicker, Spark, Burn
A few days after the changeling attack in Canterlot, Sparkchaser awoke smiling. His dreams had treated him well the previous night. He lay in bed, ignoring Celestia's shining sun for a few minutes, reveling in the warmth, both physical and emotional. When he finally rose, he stretched, sighing appreciatively. His typical morning routine remained unchanged, except that he was smiling as he left his quarters for a breakfast in the dining hall.
Unlike dinners, breakfast was a casual affair. While dinner guests were predetermined, any Castle resident was welcome at breakfast. Celestia herself sat at the head of the table, but Cadance and her husband were absent, as were most of Twilight Sparkle's friends. Twilight herself sat at the Princess's right hoof, the pair of them discussing magic. The rainbow-maned pegasus sat at the opposite end of the table, eating quickly, as if she had somewhere to be. By the time Sparkchaser had sat down, two seats to Celestia's left, Rainbow Dash had flown out of the dining hall.
Curious about the two mares' conversation, Sparkchaser requested a breakfast tea and a platter of fruits and grains from a waiter, then turned and eavesdropped.
“But Princess, isn't it more practical to use precise visualisation?” Twilight's mouth was open, somewhat dumbfoundedly.
“Twilight, my student,” Celestia smiled at the purple unicorn, “I would think after two years studying friendship's magic, you would understand that magic is most heavily tied to emotions. Yes, precision can help control your spellcasting, but if you control your magic so harshly that you are emotionless, you won't be able to do much of anything.” The younger mare nodded, her face eager. “If you want to protect your friends, your protective emotions and love for your friends will make your shields far stronger. If you are trying to clean your house, let your irritation at its unclean state drive you to clean it.”
Twilight smiled at her mentor appreciatively. “Thank you, Princess.” Celestia opened her mouth, intending on refuting Twilight's thanks friendlily, but she was cut off.
“Princess Celestia, what if one wishes to catch an opponent off guard, or escape a dangerous scenario, or perhaps remove an offending object from existence?” Sparkchaser's eyes lit up as the stallion rambled. Celestia looked at him, seeming slightly shocked.
“I don't wish to imagine why one would have an opponent in the first place, but if you found yourself needing to defend yourself magically, channel the fear for your life and the determination to defeat your opponent without harming them. Fear is also your chosen tool for escaping a dangerous situation. As for an offending object... Sparkchaser, you know as well as I that anger, disgust, and hatred only lead to bad places. Magic is not a weapon or a tool. If you truly wish to remove an object from your sight, please just pick it up and put it somewhere else.” Celestia whinnied, making her disapproval clear. “I apologize for being brusque with you, Sparkchaser.” Sparkchaser nodded, understanding. Celestia smiled at him, somewhat expectant.
“I'm sorry I brought it up, Princess. Thank you for your wise counsel.” Sparkchaser stood up, levitating his tea behind him, leaving his food untouched. Twilight stared after him, indignant, then turned to Celestia.
“Twilight, he's always been like that. He's been afraid of the world and of other ponies since foalhood. Do you remember how nervous he was the few times I tried to teach you two together?” Twilight responded to the white Princess's question with a nod. The sun goddess continued, “do you ever remember him in an actual classroom? I know that you didn't spend too much time in group classes , but do you remember him talking at all?” Twilight shook her head.
“But, Princess, why? Even I was never that alienated.” Twilight looked at Celestia, her eyes wide with concern. “I mean, I was never friends with him, but I was kind to him. It seemed like most ponies were very polite to him.” Celestia sighed and stood up.
“Come with my, my student. This is a conversation that I would prefer to have behind closed doors.” Celestia left the room, her lavender student following on her hooves.
Sparkchaser wandered the Castle, avoiding the sections frequented by the incessant visitors. Eventually, he ended up outside, in a small, grassy courtyard. He crouched, putting his weight on his rear hooves, closing his eyes, bending his hindlegs sideways, balancing awkwardly. This stretch was a difficult one, but the slight discomfort of his muscles' protest had always made it easier to marshal his thoughts. He sat, thinking.
Celestia was right. Luna would have been just as dissapointed in me. I let a pathetic, foalish question slip out because I was excited. Stay in control, you stupid colt. The dark blue stallion breathed deeply, berating himself mentally for a few moments more. It's been months since I've made a stupid, foalish request like that. What came over you, huh? He remembered the previous night's dream, forgotten to his conscious mind for the entire morning. Comprehension dawned on him. I will not let myself be controlled by such wishful thinking! With his resolution, he levitated himself, meditating, focusing his excess mental energy on displays of powerful magic.
The Princess of the Day led Twilight Sparkle to her own private chambers, a comfortable, expansive room. Half of the walls were covered entirely in tall bookshelves. A large fireplace and clear glass windows covered the remainder of the room's perimeter. Celestia sat down in a large, cushioned chair, indicating a chair for her student. As Twilight sat down, Celestia began her tale.
“Sparkchaser was an awkward foal. His parents were wealthy residents of Marechester, and they sent him to Canterlot when he was very young. His magical talent is almost as incredible as yours, but he was far more precocious. His parents asked me to raise him here, in the Castle. They were both Earth Ponies, and having a infant, astoundingly magical unicorn destroy their house once was enough. I obliged, and I regret it. I was unable to give him full attention as a student, and so his intellect and talent progressed while his friendship did not. His magic didn't seem particularly hindered by this, and he connected fairly well with his teachers. He was the youngest pony in every class, and he withdrew from his peers. It wasn't until Luna returned that I realized just how wrong this colt's life was. For years, I though Sparkchaser was a tragic prodigy, the cliché you find in filly's tales, come to life. After Luna began teaching him, we spoke about him. He isn't particularly happy without friends, but he is so afraid that any friends he makes will abandon him that he prefers to maintain a cold, distant appearance. As the years of my sister's teaching went on, he seemed to open up to her, and they became friends. Luna is the only pony he has learned to trust, and although he tends to take my advice and recommendations to heart, he usually asks Luna about anything I say. Luna has done her best to teach him to open up, but I think he needs a bit more attention. With her gone, he may become even more introverted.” Celestia looked at Twilight, whose mouth was open by a hair's width, in shock. “Twilight, I won't ask anything of you except to be cordial to him.”
Twilight shook her head. “Princess, I would be... Happy to do more than that.” Celestia looked at Twilight, cocking her head.
“Twilight, please don't feel obligated to try and he-”
“I don't! I want to! I want to because you told me the story, and I don't see how anypony could sit by and let somepony else waste away their life as a complete introvert. You didn't let me waste mine, and I'm passing on the favor!” Twilight huffed, looking into her teacher's eyes, determined. Celestia did not seem particularly surprised. The princess nodded, her eyes closed thoughtfully.
“There was something else Luna told me that you might find helpful when you talk to him. It seems he knows, deep down, that he's wasting his life. Apparently, one night, after having gone without sleep for more than a day, he burst into tears while staring out a window at Equestria. He said something along the lines of “I'll never be able to get to know all of the ponies I'm seeing in the dark, no matter how hard I try.”. Perhaps it would be good for him to get to know at least one of those ponies. I want to thank you, my student, for...” Princess Celestia trailed off as she opened her eyes, seeing that her faithful student had galloped out of the room.
Twilight rushed through the Castle, towards the eastern wing, which she vaguely remembered as the location of Sparkchaser's suite. Her gallop slowed to a quiet canter as she thought. Her urgency was rather unneccesary, but it did bother her that the young stallion was so isolated. Still, her frantic gallop could startle him. Twilight's thoughts flustered her and she stopped entirely, standing in the empty hallway. She began to pace, habitually crossing the hallway's length as she worked out what to say to Sparkchaser. After a few minutes had past, the lavender mare was still clueless. She thought back to her own “friendship initiation”. Twilight herself had been forced to make friends by circumstance. At this point, that didn't seem an option, and, according to the Princess, Sparkchaser's case was much, much worse than Twilight's had been.
Twilight frowned. Celestia forcing Sparkchaser to try and make friends would go about as well as it had for Twilight. Twilight shuddered as she remembered her own response. She had blatantly ignored the Princess's orders, and nearly cost all Equestria in the process. Still, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie had imprinted themselves on her heart, creating permanent ties that transcended even the most powerful magic. Twilight just had to find a way to imprint herself on Sparkchaser's heart, to pull the introverted colt into her circle of friends. Twilight pushed her face into her forehooves, groaning, and slumped against the wall. “Maybe Celestia was right in telling me I didn't have to do this...” She shook her head. No. I won't give up. Celestia managed to make a friendmaker out of me. I owe it to her to make one out of Sparkchaser! The lavender mare stood up, trotting towards Sparkchaser's suite at a slow but determined pace.
She knocked at his door a few moments later, but there was no answer. She rolled her eyes, having mustered tremendous courage for naught. Deciding to look for him, rather than wait by his door, Twilight trotted off. Without warning, the mare toppled to the floor, a gust of wind having blown a window open right as she passed it. She looked up, rubbing her temple sorely. Every window between her and the next corner had been thrown open. She grumbled, half-expecting Rainbow Dash to stick her head in and apologize. She stood up, looking out the windows, down at a courtyard. Her eyes widened.
Floating above the grass, his eyes closed and brow furrowed tightly, was Sparkchaser. Flame and magical sparks danced around him, and the air around him was whipping wildly. Twilight was shocked. This wasn't magic as she knew it. This was wild, uncontrolled, and raw. She had seen this before, in unicorn foals when they were upset or hurt, but not on this scale. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She could feel his magic, and the emptiness radiating from it. She felt a burning sensation in her horn, snapping her eyes open in surprise. The stallion was dampening magic, making it almost impossible for anypony else to use their magic. Twilight looked on in shock, in tears. Celestia hadn't been exaggerating; there was something very wrong with somepony capable of this.
Twilight rushed to the staircase at the end of the hall, almost tripping when she reached its threshold. She galloped down the stairs, taking them three at a time. Her loud hoofsteps were drowned out by the whirlwind outside as Sparkchaser slipped further from control. Twilight stood on the grass, the spongy earth sinking a little beneath her hooves. The mare took a deep breath, swallowed her fear, and closed her eyes again. She felt her heart, her magic, her friends, and pushed it out, through her horn, pushing it into the torrent of magic above her. She was flying blind, unsure of what to do, but she had an instinct, and that was enough for a moment's crisis.
She felt herself slip into the vortex, her heart and soul and magic were one and the same, and they were slowly forcing themselves into Sparkchaser's own magic.
SPARKCHASER!! The mare screamed in her mind, her magic conveying her thoughts to the stallion.
T- Twilight Sparkle? Wh- How are you..? Sparkchaser trailed off, confused.
Sparkchaser, are you ok? Your magic is out of control, if you don't stop soon, you'll hurt somepony! She gulped, knowing that she would be that pony.
Out of control? Twilight, this is control. I know exactly what's happening. Nopony will get hurt, I promise you. Sparkchaser's mental voice was cold, monotonous, completely different from his initial surprise.
Sparkchaser, what in Celestia's name are you doing? Twilight was frantic.
Meditating. Keeping emotion from influencing my magic or my thoughts. Sparkchaser said this simply, but Twilight was shocked. The mare racked her brain, trying to remember what she read about the effects of “cold magic”.
“A unicorn using cold magic is cutting himself off from harmony and friendship entirely. Magic, as unicorns know it, comes from our bonds with our friends and family. Where, then, does this emotionless magic come from? If not from harmony and friendship, then from the very opposite; Discord, chaos and disharmony. Any unicorn who tries to purge their magic of emotion will find it beyond their control, usually completely ineffective. Rarely, a unicorn can manage to make use of this disharmonious magic, which will cause pain and discomfort to ponies around them and eventually slip beyond their control, destroying them in the process.” Twilight whispered the passage, terrified.
Out of ideas, she poked at Sparkchaser's mind with her own. The landscape of their magic filled her eyes, and with every slight prod at him, the stallion's monochromatic magic was replaced with a spiraling blue and red pattern, intermixed with her own magenta energies. Twilight felt relief from the stallion as she forced warmth into him, pouring her heart into him, taking control of his magic and bringing harmony to it. Far too late for her to react to it, Twilight felt a tug at her heart. Sparkchaser had felt her warmth and was pulling at her magic with his mind, like a child crying out for attention. The pair of them collapsed into unconsciousness.
Twilight felt herself wake up, she felt her eyes open, but everything was black. She took steps, she reached out with her magic, she stamped her hoof impatiently, but the darkness refused to yield.
“Twilight?” Sparkchaser's voice sounded like a beacon, and Twilight followed it. She bumped into him, hard, falling down.
“Ow!” The pair of them reacted simultaneously, each rubbing their faces. Twilight stood back up, wobbling, the surrounding darkness making it hard to move with confidence.
“Um... The ground doesn't exactly feel like grass. Or stone. Or much of anything, really.” Sparkchaser was right. It felt like they were standing on something solid yet intangible.
“That's interesting.” Twilight put it out of her mind. She was more concerned with returning to Celestia, Sparkchaser in hoof.
“What did you do to us, you freakish mare?” Twilight stepped back, offended.
“What did I do? I saved both of our lives, mister CHAOS MAGIC!”
Sparkchaser stammered, confused. “What do you mean?” Twilight sat down, looking in the direction of the colt's voice.
“Sparkchaser, where does magic come from?” Twilight slipped into a lecture, the position of 'educator' making her feel more confident.
“From within. From oneself. Just like Luna told me.” Twilight nearly fell over when she heard this.
“Ju-wha? Luna told you what?”
“I believe her exact words,” Sparkchaser said, delicately, “were 'Sparkchaser, always remember, magic isn't a tool or a weapon. It's a part of you, a part of who you are.'”
Twilight buried her face into her hoof, groaning. “Sparkchaser, that isn't what she meant... I remember Celestia giving me that speech, too, I guess I never thought it could be taken that way... Even when I avoided other ponies, I had Celestia, my parents, and Spike, my baby dragon. I had people I cared about, people to draw magic from. Magic comes from your bonds with people, from your friendships. I didn't know this at the time, but I never... Sparkchaser, what happened to you? Your not even just antisocial, you're downright paranoid. Do you trust ANYPONY?” Twilight huffed.
“Yes. I trust Princess Luna as my teacher, and Princess Celestia as my ruler.” Sparkchaser's voice was confused.
“And everypony else?”
“I can't control their actions,” the stallion said evenly, “nor can I rely on their benevolence.”
“Sparkchaser, you nearly killed us both. Cutting your magic off from your emotions completely will deteriorate your control until you end up destroying yourself and everything around you.” Sparkchaser snorted at the mare.
“Look, Sparkle, I've been meditating emotionless-ly, opening myself up to the influence of Discord, for years.” His sarcasm stung. Twilight could sense him walking away. She stood up.
“Wait.”
“For?”
“I.. I don't know.... Sparkchaser, I want to be your friend...” Twilight stuttered, suddenly nervous.
“Huh? You interrupt my meditation, get me stuck in this strange void, and then ask for my friendship? You don't make any sense, Twilight Sparkle.”
“Sparkchaser... Celestia told me about your foalhood, and-”
“Save it for a pony who cares.” The stallion cut her off, walking away. “So I don't have any friends. Alright, if you must have it your way, I'll let my friendship with Luna be a source for magic. But that's all you get, Sparkle.”
A moment later, Sparkchaser felt her tackle him, and batted at the air behind him with his tail defensively. “What the buck was that fo-” His question was interupted by a soft hoof over his mouth.
“Shut up and let me talk, then you can go, if you want,” Twilight said, and she felt him nod. “Alright. Celestia told me about your foalhood, and implied that you needed friends, but explicitly told me I didn't have to do anything except be polite to you. I know from experience how pointless friendship can seem, so I...” Dammit, Twilight, don't lie to yourself or him anymore!
“So you...?” Sparkchaser inquired, causing her to press her hoof harder against his mouth.
“Sparkchaser... I wanted to be your friend because I knew how convenient friendlessness felt but how much better have a friend felt but also because... I've kinda had a crush on you since I was a filly and... I had some ulterior motive, alright?” Under her hoof, Sparkchaser's mouth slowly shifted into a soft smile, then into a vacant expression.
“Alright. Good for you.” Twilight was crushed by his cold comment. She backed away, letting him stand. “Twilight, if you really are right about magic... Thank you for saving my life. You'd better follow me. I don't know how we can get out of... Wherever the buck we are, but if one of us finds a way out...” Sparkchaser's pregnant pause, for some reason, made the purple unicorn's heart flutter. “Buck it, Twi....” She felt his foreleg wrap around her own, felt her face heat up, then realized her eyes were shut. She opened them, closing them again as the light stung them.
Wait, light! I can see! Twilight opened her eyes wide, ignoring the pain as she looked around. She was standing next to Sparkchaser, their hooves linked, in the middle of the courtyard. He was blushing brilliantly, his cheeks nearly matching his scarlet mane. “Um, Sparkchaser?” The stallion opened his eyes, stumbling back. Her heart fell a little as his hoof left hers, but she giggled at his tumble. “What happened?”
“Quite plainly, I called your bluff. You lied, and so I- I did too.” He smiled, smug.
“Huh?” Twilight looked at him, confused.
Sparkchaser stood up, grinning like a foal. “Figure it out, Sparkle.” The unicorn looked at him, irritated that he called her Sparkle, but endeared at the same time.
Why is this colt so damned... Irresistible? He's a bucking jerk, but there's something about him... The mare shook her head, envisioning a bucket of water being poured over her head, forcing herself to focus on the conversation at hand. “You lied to... Me? You... Buck, I don't even care!” Twilight stuttered, confused by the perplexing stallion.
Twilight Sparkle sighed. If there's any way to make friends with him... If there's any way to break the ice I just poured nearly-freezing water on... And face it, Twilight, you kinda think he's an alright piece of flank, even if his sociability could use a bit of improving. Twilight looked at the blue stallion. “Sparkchaser, would you like to go to dinner tomorrow?”
Sparkchaser froze for a moment. Twilight... Huh? He carefully tried to analyse every potential benefit and detriment to saying yes, but something interrupted him. Luna's voice echoed in his mind. He took a deep breath. Well, Sparkchaser? Why not? He nodded to Twilight, managing a minuscule smile.
Left with his own thoughts, Sparkchaser sat down. Could I have miscalculated? I.... Well, I guess was wrong about a lack of emotions helping me control my magic, so anything's possible. I guess I assumed that Twilight was smarter than me and followed her lead. You did well enough, Sparkchaser. You didn't let wishful thinking get the better of you, and things turned out better than you could have imagined. Sparkchaser stood up and walked into the Castle. Only a few minutes later, the antisocial colt dropped to his haunches in realization.
“Celestia above... I've got a date.”