A Different Kind of Love: The Untold Chapters

-------------- Life of an Addict: Maggie - Part 2 --------------

Maggie barely slipped to the side as another hissing ball of fiery energy zipped past, tearing up the ground behind her and plowing a rut that was easily a hundred and fifty feet long. She grunted and planted her feet, quickly changing direction as another ball zipped by.

“Good!” Celestia called, her hands pulsing as she wove another two orbs of brilliant golden energy into existence. “Use your speed to your advantage! Evade! No sense in expending your energy blocking or deflecting when you can just as easily MOVE!” She threw another ball straight at Maggie, but this time, the younger magi planted her feet and summoned a cone-like shield before her. The tip of it was sharp as a needle and pointed straight at the approaching ball. Just as it pierced the tip, the magic expanded and dissipated, fading away just as Maggie thrust the entire thing forward. Celestia grinned as she batted the feeble shield away.

The resulting explosion kicked up a cloud of dust that Maggie managed to hide herself in. Celestia, still holding one orb of hissing power, flapped her wings backwards out of the widening cloud. Maggie gave chase, her hands glowing with her own field of magic.

“Oh, hello.” Celestia said with a serene grin. She flicked the ball at Maggie, watching as the image dissipated into nothing. The true Maggie was waiting right behind her, hands shimmering with the deadly force of magic. Celestia smiled as Maggie dealt the blow that ended the evaluation.

“What-“

“Good job, Maggie. Were I anyone else, that blow would have killed me and ended this fight.” Celestia’s hands were wrapped around Maggie’s wrists. All but a whole second had passed since the explosion, but now, in the flurry of motion and magic, the two were standing in front of one another, one of them extremely confused.

“How did you-“

“Come now, Maggie.” Celestia said with a smile. “You’re powerful, but you’re not me.” Her soft smile melted away the tension in Maggie’s form, her tired, wasted body sagging visibly as she relaxed in Celestia’s presence. The entire last half hour had been spent on the run for her life, as Celestia’s idea of an ‘evaluation’ was to try everything she could reasonably do to exterminate Maggie.

“Phew.” She groaned, feeling sore and taxed muscles finally sag with relief. Her knees were shaky as she slowly sank to the ground. Celestia, in a surprising display of un-lady like conduct, sat next to her. Maggie noted that throughout the entire ordeal, the princess’ beautiful blouse and simple white skirt had remained unblemished. As opposed to Maggie, who was dirty, bruised, and unless she was mistaken, sporting a cut on her shoulder.

“You performed admirably, Maggie.” Celestia said, gesturing with a hand. The entire lot that had been fenced off was not gutted and torn in the aftermath of the heated exchange. Long, jagged gashes marred the previously-perfect surface of the cool green grass, huge chunks of earth torn up and tossed aside like nothing more than sand beneath the feet of eager children racing along the beach… Maggie collapsed backwards, her chest rising and falling with deep breaths. The entire ordeal caught up with her then, making her shake slightly…

“Just trying to stay alive…” Maggie grunted, looking up at the clear blue sky as she let her muscles recuperate from the frenzied flurry of fighting and magic.

“As I said, you did well. You played your strengths, used the terrain to your advantage when it was presented to you, and saved your strength for when it would be most advantageous for you to end the fight. Like I said, if I were anyone else, I’d have been dead. Probably a few times over...” Celestia smiled and patted Maggie’s thigh. “I see the principal was not incorrect in his assumption. You would be a fine candidate.”

“Candidate?” Maggie asked, rolling her head to the side and raising an eyebrow at Celestia. “I don’t understand… What do you mean ‘Candidate’?”

“I mean exactly what I said, Maggie. If you would choose to accept, I would make you my personal student.”

Maggie slowly sat up, her brown eyes wide. “Wait… Did you just say student?”

“Indeed I did.”

“As in… Study underneath you, learn magic from you-“

“Among other things, yes…”

“The most powerful magi, and indeed, most powerful… THING… In all of Equestria…”

“I wouldn’t take it that far-“

“But, my princess, I-“

“Please.” Celestia smiled as she raised a finger, hovering just an inch in front of Maggie’s lips. “I typically prefer my students to call me ‘Celestia.’ And don’t you fret about school anymore, either. I assure you, in my classes, there are only two grades. Pass or fail.” Celestia smiled as she leaned back on her palms, turning her serene gaze up to the heavens. Maggie tried to swallow past the lump in her throat, found she couldn’t, and passed out…

Consciousness came to her some time later, in the form of a warm bed and soft covers. An alien feel to her, she was afraid… With a soft groan, she rolled over, fighting her eyes to open. They finally did, and she was greeted with the sight of her current lodgings. The room was square and sparsely furnished. There was a bed with a warm grey comforter and white sheets, two fluffy pillows, and a bedside nightstand with a single, simple lamp. Opposite the bed was a straight, warm wooden desk, the surface laid with a cup holding four pens, a notebook, and another lamp. There were two square windows, one above the bed, and another at the edge of the desk. The windows poured warm golden light into the room, offering the only illumination in the room. Aside from all this, there were only two doors. One of which she had to guess led to a closet, and the other the exit.

Over all this, though, was the faint hum of magic… It pulsed and shifted in no specific pattern… It seemed to work into a high, thrumming fever pitch, then die down or stop almost entirely before starting, swelling, and falling once more… Now and then, it would click or make some audible ticking noise… Maggie had to investigate. No sense in staying in bed any longer… Thankful she was still clothed in the same thing she had worn, Maggie noted her jeans and the shirt had been cleaned… How? She’d rather not know… With a tired groan, she willed her sore, tight muscles to let her stand and stretch. The resulting head rush made her sway, but not fall. Probably because she had put her feet on both her shoes, resting on the floor next to the bed. She steadied herself, slipped into the tattered tennis shoes, and made for the door she guessed was the exit…

Only that one was the closet. The next one she tried was the exit, however, and it led her from the thin carpeted room onto a warm, polished hardwood floor. It stretched off and away in two directions, straight ahead and off to her right. She blinked once and tried to make sense of her bearings… The faint hum of magic came again from her right, so she followed it, still curious what exactly was happening… The floor creaked under her slight weight as she slowly made her way down the hall, her legs still aching from the intense morning of fighting… Not to mention everything else that had happened. As she walked, the intense hum of magic died down and at last faded into nothing. Maggie approached the landing for a stairwell, swallowing slightly as she looked out over the balcony railing…

“Good evening, Maggie.” Princess Celestia said, her back turned to the stairs and Maggie. She stood in the midst of what appeared to be a modest library. The walls were lined with shelves, stacked with books, scrolls and other various things. Maggie swallowed slightly and descended the staircase, trying to comprehend this new development. Wherever she was, it wasn’t her home. Then she remembered she didn’t have a home anymore. In fact, all she had was the clothes on her back and the small pack with her school supplies. Now, down a pack and supplies, Maggie was left with her name and the clothes she wore. Which, thankfully, were at least clean.

“Uuh, hi… Uuh! Your majesty!” She corrected herself as she slowly began to descend the steps. Celestia, the regal princess of Equestria, ruler of the land and all-powerful god-like being, laughed at her. It was the sort of lilting, heart-wearing laugh that even made Maggie smile, despite how her mind was reeling.

“Please, Maggie. You are more than welcome to call me Celestia. Or teacher. Or master. Or whichever you prefer. No need for pleasantries between us.” She smiled and flipped a page in the book before her, chuckling slightly.

“R-right… Uum, where are my-“

“Unless your belongings hold some sentimental value, you’re more than welcome to be rid of them.” Celestia gestured towards a corner of the library. Maggie had to lean around the corner of a shelf of books to see, but there, set in the corner was a comfortable-looking chair, and atop it was her pack.

“Th-thanks…” Maggie said, thankful her pack was untouched. Then again, there really wasn’t much of use to her in there anymore… She awkwardly approached the princess, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans. “Uum-“

“Yes, Maggie?” I hope you’ll learn soon enough not to act so awkwardly around me. After all, we will be spending a lot of time together.” Celestia never took her attention off the book, her back perpetually turned to Maggie.

“It’s… About that…” Maggie said, perplexed how she was so calm. Then again, Celestia wasn’t the one whose life had changed so drastically in one short day. “What is to become of me?” She asked, lifting and dropping her hands in exasperation.

“A good question. Typical of one in your situation, but good.” Celestia finally turned away from the book, her face split in a serene, soft smile. “As I mentioned before, I would like to make you my student. My protégé. You’re more than welcome to decline, I suppose, but your time and efforts would not go unrewarded thus far.”

“Meaning…?”

“For besting me in the field of battle, taking valuable time out of your busy day to indulge a request of mine, and generally just being significantly talented, I’ve seen fit to reward you.” From a pocket of her white skirt, Celestia withdrew an envelope. She handed it to Maggie, who hesitantly opened it. She stopped counting when the fourth hundred dollar bill peeked out.

“This is-“

“More money than you’re used to seeing, I’m sure.” Celestia said. “And mind you, that is only for your efforts today. Accept, and I’ll see to it that you are well-funded for research and education, house and board, entertainment, clothing and food allowance, et cetera, et cetera…” She rolled her hand as she listed off each item, and Maggie’s blood pounded in her ears.

“Wh… Why?”

“Because you’re talented. So much so, in fact, that I’m wondering if you’re an average magi or something more.” Celestia shrugged, almost as if it was little consequence to herself. “Admittedly, I’ve been too wrapped up in royal affairs to worry about the education of young magi as of late, but the principal was very insistent I at least give you a look.” She smiled and crossed her arms, leaning her weight onto one leg. Her long, billowing hair covered one eye as she let her gaze roam up and down Maggie’s body. “I’m glad I did.” They stood there for a few moments before Celestia continued.

“Nevertheless… I’ve been too busy raising the moon and the sun and attending matters in court to pay any real attention to the education young magi deserve. After seeing the might and prowess of your form in battle, not to mention your application of knowledge in heated or stressful scenarios, I think it’s more than fitting to resume teaching. I see no better candidate than you, my dear.” Celestia lazily pointed a finger at Maggie, smiling in her soft, calming sort of way.

“So… Let me get this straight…” Maggie leaned her shoulder against the nearest book case, thankful for both the support and the brief pause to collect her thoughts. “You’re going to take me, a filthy girl with no home and no family, whose only real talent is spells and equations, under your wing-“ As if to emphasize, Celestia’s wings ruffled. “And teach me the most advanced forms of magic known to Equestria, AND pay me for it?”

“Yes.” Celestia shrugged, as if it were nothing. “In addition to your food, clothing, housing, and other allowances, you’ll be compensated for your time. While you may be learning, you will also be performing tasks beneficial to Canterlot, and indeed, all of Equestria. I should let you know, that in addition to being my student, you will also be my counsel. Should I require input on certain situations, you would he expected to oblige. Matters of law, government, or even magic theory, you would have your input, and said input would be very valuable… Any time you spend working on community projects, teaching, or any other number of things, you would be compensated for.” Maggie listened to her speak, swallowing more than once to try and fight the lump growing in her throat.

“I don’t… I just… What if there’s…” She stuttered, mind racing with the implications. “What about David?”

“David?” Celestia asked, arching an eyebrow. “Who is he?”

“My friend…” My only friend… Her mind echoed her words as she spoke.

“What about him?”

“Will I see him?” Celestia laughed again, the sound filling Maggie’s ears as she watched the princess.

“You sound like I’m condemning you to a life of solitude. I assure you, Maggie, you schooling will have a very open schedule, and any work you do, you do as you choose. You’ll have more than enough time to see your friends, family, and loved ones.” She breathed a sigh of relief at the words, her head hanging slightly, almost as if a weight had been lifted.

“Okay… But, David isn’t without his own fair share of trouble…”

“Maggie,” Celestia sighed. “Love and affection are two of the greatest teachers we’ve ever known… I not only request, but strongly encourage you explore your feelings for this person.”

“WHAT?!” Maggie nearly fell over as the princess spoke her words, her cheeks flushing. “I’m not- We haven’t- He isn’t in my-“ Celestia’s laugh silenced her again.

“Is David on hard times, like you were?” Celestia asked, fighting the smile on her face. Maggie was still flushed, but she nodded slightly. “Well, when I say that you will be compensated for housing allowance, I meant it. And food, and clothing, and all the other things…” Celestia closed the book that she had been reading and set it in it’s proper place on the shelf. “If you think you can support yourself and one other on what I pay you for your living expenses, David is more than welcome to live with you. As well as any others you’d like.”

“A-any others…?” Maggie asked hesitantly.

“Oh. Well, first things first, you’ll have to accept being my protégé.” Celestia smiled.

“I do. A million times over, yes! I do!” Maggie said, her heart thundering.

“Good! It’s settled then!” Celestia smiled as she padded over to the one desk in the room, where a single solitary folder sat on the smooth mahogany surface. Celestia slid it off into her grip, then levitated it smoothly over to Maggie. She took it, flipping the cover open to reveal several sheets of paper with various bits of writing on them.

“I’ll give you a week to review the material, get settled, and accustomed to your new lifestyle, Maggie.” Celestia said, drawing Maggie’s attention away from the paper before she could really get started reading. “At seven next Monday morning, I expect you to be at the Royal Canterlot Library with the materials mentioned in the pamphlet. Have a good night, Maggie.” Celestia said with a smile, patting her newest student on the shoulder as she slipped past, headed for a hallway that Maggie guessed led to the front door.

“Princess?” Maggie said, turning around quickly.

“Hmm?”

“Where am I to sleep tonight?” She asked.

“In your home, I would suspect.” Celestia said calmly.

“H-home…?”

“Uh huh.” Celestia waved a hand at the walls. “Do you like it? I built it for you.”

Maggie passed out again.

“Oh dear…”

“Focus, Maggie.” Celestia said quietly. The fledgling student re-affirmed her attention on the task at hand. “Feel the arcane pulse through you. Magic is more than equations, numbers, diagrams and chants… It’s a force. A living one, at that… It has a mind of it’s own. Some,” Celestia padded around the focusing student. “Force that mind into the path they want. Others,” She tweaked the diagram, making Maggie scramble to fix it. She did so in four easy movements. Celestia nodded as she continued. “Will bend and twist it, offering guidance until the power moves the way they want it to…” Celestia stopped behind Maggie, leaning over to whisper in her ear. “And others still, my student…” Her hands slid down Maggie’s outstretched arms, guiding her into the next part of the spell. “Meld their mind with their power… Become one… So that their will is their magic’s… And the magic’s will theirs… Do this, Maggie.”

“And the power is mine.” She completed the thought and the spell smoothly, the diagram floating in the air before them flashing for a second before it began to condense… Both women watched as the spell summoned a crystalline form that began to coalesce into something tangible… It shuddered and grew, folding in upon itself before swelling and growing more… When it was finished, the whole thing was roughly the size of a boulder, red in color, and pulsed faintly.

“Good, Maggie.” Celestia smiled. “I daresay that’s a perfect gatestone. That will end today’s lesson. When the guard receives this shipment, you will be paid.”

“A lesson AND a job? You spoil me, Celestia.” Maggie smiled, shivering now in the chill air. When she was working her magic, she felt warm and safe. Now that she was devoid it’s substantial power, she felt cold and slightly empty. The feeling passed, but she still shivered. Why they had to summon this particular gatestone in the castle’s highest tower, she would never know… Never one to question the princess’ requests, though, Maggie had obliged and ascended the tower willingly. Their lesson was one on summoning and enchanting, which was imbuing inanimate objects with spell-like abilities… When combined, one could summon magical items, such as the gatestone that pulsed and glowed before them.

“I need to ensure you get by, my student.” Celestia said with a smile, running her hand over the crystal. “Hmm… I’m detecting an anomaly here… Did you change something?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact.” Maggie’s hands blazed again as she began a verification spell. The spell that would allow a magi to see how another spell, or in this case, enchantment, looked. The diagram painted itself in midair before the two of them, pulsing in time with the crystal’s own glow. “See here,” Maggie said, gesturing to one intricate circle with an equation along it’s border.

“Right, the inferior arch.” Celestia said, nodding.

“If you turn it into a superior arch, as I’ve done with this invocation here, it increases stability at the sacrifice of power. BUT.” She swiped a hand and moved the diagram aside to a different level, this one in a star shape. “If you add an invocation of fire into the sub-miodal infrastructure, on the forty-seventh node, you increase power by about twelve-point-seven percent.”

“About?” Celestia arched her eyebrow.

“Right. Uum, twelve-point-seven-two-four-eight.” There was no rounding in magic, no fractions or estimates. Everything was a definitive number. From the smallest computation to the largest equation. There was no room for error.

“Anything else?” Celestia said with a slight smirk. Maggie grinned and swiped the pattern aside.

“You got me, princess.” She said, revealing a whole new layer of the spell. “Gatestones intrinsically have a surplus of arcane leftover, which is usually utilized for stability or extra power… But given the new method I used, there was enough leftover for this.” The spell was a very intricate design, almost as much as the original form. This one, though, twisted and turned in a more graceful script. “The overall percentage was sixty-seven-point-oh-four-two… Giving me enough to weave this. I believe with a similar invocation that I used, but on the pro-miodal arch and another on the minor apex of the major arcane diagram, we could reduce this percentage further, perhaps under fifty percent, which would-“

“Allow us to summon two gatestones simultaneously…” Celestia said, finishing the thought. “Maggie, that’s brilliant… But, what have you done here?”

“Hehe. Well…” Maggie twisted the form and displayed it to Celestia. “You know as well as I do using gatestones is at best an uncomfortable experience.”

“Naturally-“

“Not naturally…” Maggie cut her off. The breach of etiquette was overlooked as Maggie ran through the spell. “They weren’t intended to be so. That’s because we’ve been adding stability webs or more invocations on points that could be utilized for other things. Such as this.”

“Is that…”

“A rejuvenation spell. It counter-balances the negative effects, and gives a sense of well-being upon arrival. More so than that, it makes the user feel empowered, naturally heightening reaction times, heart rate, and generally just helping you feel damn good.” Maggie let the form drop. “With this method, anyone using the stone will be charged, happy, and ready to go. Not vomiting or passing out.”

“Which makes it much more effective when deployed in battle…”

“Or just in general.” Maggie smiled and laid her hand on the gatestone. “When you told me I’d be making one of these, I started studying. Believe me, princess, there are more flaws than those few things with gatestones.”

“That’s incredible, Maggie… Evaluation passed, expectations exceeded by a mile. Fantastic work.” Celestia smiled at her star pupil, the type of smile that made Maggie herself grin wide with the recognition. “We’re finished for today, then. I will inform the captain of your progress, and how he needn’t fear sending his troops to the frontlines with a gatestone any longer… In fact, it may prove very valuable.”

“Thank you, Celestia. Same time next week?”

“Hmm, I’m afraid not. I do have an assignment for you, though… I’ll be gone for the next two weeks, but I’ve something for you to do while I’m away. The details will be mailed to you shortly.”

“Thank you, Celestia. I’ll see you when you return.” They parted ways, Maggie feeling rather giddy that she had done so well… She exited the tower and donned her coat before slipping into the chilly Canterlot streets.

It had been four months since she had become Celestia’s student. The lessons were hard and actually challenged Maggie. They weren’t about memorizing facts or reciting boring, normal spell-forms and equations… Celestia’s form of teaching presented Maggie with a problem, then made her discover her own way to fix or solve it. Sometimes, it involved using obscure spells or even inventing new ones… Many times, she had to adapt old spells with new techniques to find the desired result. There was little guidance. She was given a goal and expected to achieve it one way or another. She struggled now and again, but that’s when Celestia would help. Though ‘help’ was a relative term… More than once, it involved chastising her or scrutinizing her work with a very keen eye. She was even insulted.

But Celestia also praised when it was earned. Which was often. Maggie excelled in her studies, and was becoming ever more powerful with each week she spent. That, on top of the admittedly lavish lifestyle, she was beginning to enjoy herself, and life in general.

She and David had started a relationship. It wasn’t intimate, but it was certainly romantic. David insisted on paying his way, and offered to help with the rent and his portion of the food. Maggie told him time and again the only thing she paid for on the house was utilities. Hot water and electricity. Still, he insisted on pulling his weight, so whatever money he made, he insisted she put towards paying the bills. The few they had. She sighed and reluctantly accepted his money each time, though she’d never tell him she put it towards buying him nice things. His brother, though, had adamantly insisted on staying at their shoddy little apartment. Without David to feed and clothe, though, he was finally able to move elsewhere, and begin saving money. It seemed like becoming Celestia’s student was making everything right for her…

“I’m home!” She called, shaking out the light snowfall from her coat and her hair as she swept through the door. Her home, the one Celestia had built for her, rested on the same lot that her evaluation had taken place on. The ground around the house still bore evidence of their furious fight, the jagged chunks of earth having softened a bit in the time since their passing. Maggie enjoyed the sight. It reminded her of how she had gotten where she was. The house itself was rather large, taking up about half of the lot. While the ground around it was frayed with jagged lines and small craters, it’s foundation had been smoothed out. The main entryway led into a long hall. At the end of a hall, it split into a T, offering two more short halls.

The main floor had seven rooms. The library she had spoken with Celestia in, a massive kitchen, dining room, living room, an exercise room, a guest bath, and a den with a pooltable. Maggie and David enjoyed billiards. Upstairs were seven more rooms. The master bedroom with the attached bathroom and a very nice balcony, three guest rooms, one of which David currently stayed in, a study, and a laboratory of sorts… The last was filled with all sorts of devices and machinery for examining and researching spells and the like. Maggie rather liked it in there… It made her feel warm and at home, and she spent much time researching, practicing, or developing spells there. Between it and the study, where she had taken to studying and writing reports, there was a very lived-in feel already.

“In here!” David’s voice called from the living room, where Maggie could just barely make out the sounds of a radio playing. He was stretched out on the couch, hands resting behind his head. The radio played soft music, and the fireplace crackled happily. “Have a good time?” He asked, smiling as she leaned over the back of the couch to give him a soft kiss.

“I’ll say… My invocation went off without a hitch. Celestia was proud with my progress.”

“She shoulda been.” David groaned with a soft smile of his own. “You worked for two weeks straight on the new gatestone. Was it sound?”

“She ran the verification herself. Said it was probably the biggest discovery in all of Equestrian history.”

“Really?”

“Pfft. No. But she was impressed.”

“That’s great, then!” David smiled and pulled Maggie down for a deeper kiss, smiling against her lips. They separated with a smack, and Maggie was about to go in for another when the doorbell rang.

“Who the hell?”

“Ooh! He’s here!” David sat up from the couch and swept around the back, smiling at her as he went.

“He? He who?” Maggie said, arching an eyebrow.

“Remember when you said I could bring a friend over for some cutthroat?” He said, referencing a favorite pool game of theirs. One they seldom got to play, since they didn’t really know anyone. David’s brother would stop by for dinner now and then, but he was usually the only one.

“Right. Is he coming over tonight?”

“Indeed.” David and Maggie left the living room and went to the front door. When David opened it, Maggie smiled at their guest. “Maggie, I’d like you to meet my co-worker and friend…” The man’s smile was warm. Beaming, even. He was very charming.

“This is Benjamin.”