Chapter 9 - Sun's Potion Lesson

"Here is your book ma'am." The librarian hoofs you a book titled everything you need to know about clones and shape shifters. "Will that be all for you ladies?"

"Yes." You answer. "This will be perfect. Thank you."

"Your very welcome. You may read at one of our tables. Please return it here when you are finished."

Polished Silver takes a plastic card in her magic which she sends to the librarian.

The librarian takes the card and writes it's information in a book before levitating the card back to her. "Please return it within 1 month."

"Thank you." You thank Polished Silver as you smile at her.

Polished Silver rolls her eyes as she walks with you out of the library. "Don't think I did this for you Oranges. I've got better things to do than sit around a library all day."

"Oh. Okay." You reply as your smile vanishes.

The two of you then go to the day spa, spending an hour getting yourselves pampered.

As the two of you make your way home, an earth pony mare trots your way with a question. "Hello there young lady, might you be Twin-Sun Shimmer by any chance?"

"Yes, that's my name." You answer. "Who are you?"

"My name is Potion Brew. A pony named Silver Smith hired me to gather ingredients for you."

Your smile returns in full force. "And you got them already?"

"Actually. I had them in stock when he came to me. However, when I realized what they would most likely be used for I had asked your father to let me tutor you a bit, to prevent any unwanted side effects."

"Side effects?!" You exclaim as you look over your notes. "I don't remember reading about any side effects."

Potion Brew holds a hoof out towards you. "Mind if I take a look?" You give her your notes. "Just as I thought. You didn't bother to read far enough to get to the side effects did you?"

You rub your neck with a hoof in embarrassment. "Umm. I didn't really want to be around that place too long and just wrote down what I thought I would need."

Potion Brew gives a sigh. "Ponies your age are too eager to finish their work far too quickly. When it comes to brewing potions, a mistake made because of impatience can cost you dearly." Your ears droop as she scolds you. "Now, your father payed good money, so let's get you home so we can begin."

"Yes ma'am." You agree.

"Bye the way." Polished Silver interrupts. "Silver Smith is my father. Oranges here is just a guest."

"Oranges?" Potion Brew asks with a puzzled look.

With a grown and a face hoof you answer. "It's a nickname she likes to use."

"Do you have any proof my father employed you?" Polished Silver asks. Potion Brew produces a paper proving her claim. "We were on our way home just now. Would you follow us and teach her at my place?"

The three of you soon get to your host's home. Potion Brew begins setting up her equipment, all the while explaining the process and any safety measures to you. "Now before we begin we are going to need to do a few things." She explains.

"What do I do first?" You ask with confidence.

"First, we put on our protective goggles." She answers hoofing you a pair of goggles before putting a pair of her own around her eyes. "Next, we measure."

"Measure?" You ask.

"Yes, measure. And before we measure, we must first know how much of our ingredients will effect us in what way." The surprised look on your face tells Potion Brew, you never gave that any thought. "Did nopony teach you any of this when you began your studies?"

"Mom was more of a magic pony than a potion pony and I just decided I wanted to make a potion I read about."

"So you have no idea how this will effect you?"

"It'll make me younger, right?" You ask with a nervous smile."

"Yes, but it will also make you older."

You give her a confused look. "How does that work?"

"Your body is not the only thing that ages as you grow older, your innate magic does as well."

"Innate magic?"

"Yes, your innate magic is a form of magic we are all born with, separate from our residual magic. You see it is our innate magic which interacts with the thaumic energy around us that makes the residual magic we typically use to cast spells. However it is our innate magic that naturally controls how we age."

"So we age because of magic?"

"No. As we grow older our innate magic reduces the effects of the aging process by half until our bodies reach the age of 25. Can you tell me how old you would be at this point?"

"25?"

"No." She answers with a shake of her head. "Remember, your innate magic has your body age at half the natural rate."

You smile at your realisation. "So I'd be 50."

"Exactly." Potion Brew gives a nod of approval. "And after this our innate magic stops the aging process all together for the next 125 years. And after that a ponies innate magic will stop influencing age, too old to do so any longer, it just focuses on creating residual magic."

"How long do ponies live after they start aging again?"

Potion Brew puts a hoof to her chin. "I'd say ponies typically live another 60 to 75 years after."

"Wow." You reply in astonishment.

"We're getting off topic now. I'm only telling you all this because this potion of yours uses the innate magic as a power source."

"Why can't the potion use my residual magic?" You ask.

"Of course, you can make a potion that uses the residual magic, but these aren't permanent like potions that use the innate magic. We don't completely understand why this is, but many theorize that potions like these are best when you use the innate magic because of it's natural effects on the age of a pony. You can also cast spells, but just like potions, they aren't permanent unless they use the target's innate magic."

"I think I understand."

Potion Brew gives another approving nod. "Typically, for every year you restore to your body, your innate magic loses a year. So you see, you get a year younger but at the same time, you lose a year you would have other wise have had to live. And then you have to consider the fact that twice as much innate magic is used to age the body at half speed than is used to keep it at the same age. So you see reducing the body's age below the point it stops aging will mean losing more than just a year of your life."

You give a gulp at this new knowledge. "Oh." However you soon calm down as you remember your quest to become an alicorn. "Do alicorns age the same way?"

"I'm pretty sure they are immortal, but they definitely live a lot longer than the average pony. So tell me little one. Knowing all of this, are you sure this is the potion you want to make?"

You give a confident nod. "Yes, I'm sure."

"Let me be honest with you. I told you all those things to convince you to try some other potion. This potion is dangerous kid."

"Don't worry too much about Oranges." Polished Silver interjects. "She's apparently a clone or something."

"A clone?" Potion Brew asks.

You give a sigh and decide you might as well tell her. "Yes, but I don't want to be my creators clone." You look into Potion Brew's eyes with renewed vigour. "I want to be her daughter."

Potion Brew looks back into your eyes seeing nothing but honesty. "I believe clones are created with the same amount of innate magic a new born foal would be born with. In that case there are only two more questions I must ask before we begin." You give her your full attention. "How old are you and how much younger do you wish to be?"

You search your mind for information on Sunset's age. "I'm 26, and I want to be 10 years younger."

"Only 10?"

"I want to be young enough to be her daughter, but old enough to be useful."

"So if we want to reduce your age by 10 years, how many years do we reduce the age of the body?"

You think back to what you were just taught. "5 years." You answer with enthusiasm.

"Good." Potion Brew praises. "And remember, that's 5 years off your innate magic. And on top of that, your innate magic will have another 5 years it will have to age your body at half the natural rate. Over all, that's 10 years you won't get to live in this world. Are you willing to accept that?"

"Yes, I am." You answer with confidence.

"Very well. I'm going to start you off with a few easier and cheaper potions." Potion Brew starts by teaching how much of which ingredients will have what type of and how much of an effect on you. "Remember that precision is key." Unfortunately, your first attempt had resulted in a small explosion. "Slow down, it's not a race."

It takes nearly a few hours, but eventually Potion Brew decides you are ready for the age reduction potion. "I did it!" You exclaim in excitement, as you hold out your creation for all to see.

"Good job Twin-Sun, you are quite the fast learner aren't you?"

"My mom taught me how to study."

"I see she did a wonderful job. Where is she now? I would like to congratulate her on raising such a lovely filly."

Your mood lowers a bit at this. "Well, she created me to find information here while she looks elsewhere, so I don't really know where she is right now."

"Oh." Potion Brew's own mood drops as she remembers you are a clone. "Umm. Twin-Sun..." You look up at Potion Brew as she is about to ask a question. A question you will never hear as she seems to perk up perhaps thinking it would be better not to ask. "Never mind. why don't you go play while I clean up our mess."

You shake your head. "No. I want to help."

"Very well." Potion Brew agrees with a chuckle. "You let me handle the glass and flammables and you can take care of the rest."

"Yes ma'am."

After clean up, Potion Brew gives you enough ingredients to make another age potion. "Silver Smith payed good money for your supplies and tutoring and I can't leave you with less than what was payed for. And here is a list of potions to practice with. Their ingredients are quite common around Equestria, so you should be able to find plenty to finetune your brewing."

"Thank you." You thank Potion Brew with a quick hug as she pats you on the back.

"I can already tell you'll become a great potion pony, and I'd love to see the mare you become someday. But, I do have my own business to take care of and I must get going."

"I understand." You let go and watch her walk away.

Before she leaves the property, she turns to give one last statement. "I hope your mother sees what a wonderful daughter she's made, one of these days."

You give a confused look, thinking to yourself "How can she not already know?" However, you don't get much time to ponder this as you spot a golden chariot heading your direction. With full knowledge of who must be on said chariot, you slam the door shut. "SHE KNOWS WHERE I LIVE!"

Author's Note

I rewrote some of this chapter to make things line up better.