Learning Magic

Chapter 6: The Competition

“And the winner is... Miss Rarity!” the referee exclaimed.

Tears of joy streamed from Rarity’s eyes as she went to the podium.

“Thank you! Thank you all! I’d like to say that I wouldn’t have made it without your support! I thank especially to you, Twilight, my dearest friend, for without you this wouldn’t be possible."

“That’s great and all, but you are still a failure. You know that, right?” Twilight replied.

“W–what?”

“Oh, you know, that whole passing out thing, managing only a pathetic excuse for a fireball and, of course, being late for the competition.”

“Being late? I don– I’ m still asleep, aren’t I?“

———

How could I be so careless? Forgetting to set the alarm clock – I can’t believe it!

Rarity ran to the bathroom, her dishevelled tail flailing behind her.

“Sis? What’s happening? Why are you in such a hurry?” asked Sweetie Belle, still in her pyjamas and with “sleepy” plastered all over her face.

“In a hurry for the competition. No time to speak. Go back to bed.”

Rarity then slammed the bathroom door behind her and started to inspect herself in the mirror.

My mane and tail both look simply horrid. I also need to put on my mascara, but the coat looks good enough, I can’t waste my time brushing it.

While one week back, applying mascara would have taken several minutes, after her training with Twilight her magic was much more accurate, so she was done with it in just half a minute, without the fear of injuring her eye.

Done! Now for the main course. Where is the brush!?

After searching for a bit, she found the brush and started stroking her mane. Getting her mane to look perfect was always a slow and tedious process and this morning was no different. Every time she stroke a spot, a few strands of hair refused to go down. She was used to it, but today she was in a hurry.

Go down, go down, go down! Why won’t my own hair obey me? Why!?

———

Half an hour later, Rarity finally left her boutique and galloped towards the library. While she was trying to get to the library as fast she could, she still wasn’t fast enough – trying not to get dirty being the main cause.

Why, oh why aren’t the roads paved? All this awful mud and horrible puddles will cause me to be late!

The bell on the schoolhouse announced seven o’clock.

I am not going to be late, I am late!

Rarity bolted around the next corner and saw the library. As she got closer, she could see Twilight and Spike already sitting in the golden chariot, the former tapping her hoof impatiently.

“Hello Rarity!” Spike said.

“Hello Spike, hello Twilight.”

“You’re late.” Twilight stated.

Rarity was taken aback by this cold statement, but got inside the chariot anyway. The chariot then flew upwards, gaining speed as if trying to make up for the lost time.

“Don’t mind Twilight, she’s just terribly nervous about the competition. You were only five minutes late, but she already started to freak out that she’s not going to get there in time and that they won’t accept her registration.” Spike whispered, leaning close to her.

That sounds just like Twilight, like that time when– wait a minute, Spike is awfully close to me right now and has that dreamy face of his... Did he use this as an excuse to get near me?

Since Spike showed no intent of backing off, being only centimetres from her ear, Rarity decided to speak before he did anything he would regret later.

“Um, Spike?”

“Yes, my love?”

“I think Twilight wanted to tell you something.”

“I didn’t hea– oh...”

Spike quickly retracted and started blushing furiously, looking like he was trying to turn invisible.

If only all the stallions were like that...

———

The chariot finally arrived at a large open space outside of Canterlot. There were colourful tents everywhere and the air was filled with the voices of various salesmen praising their products. There were nametags on the tents, Twilight commenting on almost each one they passed.

“...Iceshade Earthdigger; quite ambitious but without enough strength to back it up. Then there’s Alpohonso Incrediblo the Magnificent; rather showy if you ask me, but he’s really good nevertheless...”

I’ve never heard any of these names before and I really don’t care about them. At least Spike looks as bored as I feel.

Rarity’s ears perked up when she heard Twilight’s next sentence.

“...and this will likely be your biggest opponent. Sunblaze Shadeseeker is just twelve years old, but has already been close to winning last year. His magic is significantly better every year I see him and his speciality are fire based spells.”

“Do you think he can beat me?”

“Yes.”

“How can I beat him then?”

“Pray to Celestia and hope for the best.”

Rarity abruptly stopped, shock written all across her face.

I can’t believe what I’m hearing! She’s supposed to boost my confidence, not discourage me!

“Come on, Twilight, there must be something I can do to defeat him.”

“I don’t know what! His stamina is greater than yours and fire spells are his special talent! I honestly thought he was already in the ‘slightly advanced’ category until I saw the ‘beginner’ on his nametag!”

“What should I do then!?”

“Try... Try to make your fireball big, it might impress the referees enough. But if he manages to maintain his spell for too long, then you will surely lose.”

What am I going to I do? What am I going to do!? Cheat? No, that would lower me in Twilight’s eyes even more. I think I’ll try the praying.

———

“Ladies and gentlecolts! Welcome to our annual competition, celebrating the birth of Starswirl the Bearded, greatest magician in history on ponykind,” the announcer shouted.

Rarity was inside a large improvised stadium, many young colts and fillies to her left and right. While the main focus of the audience was on the announcer, Rarity could still feel many of them looking at her, some were smirking, some were confused and quite a few were even arguing.

They must think I’m pathetic for participating at such a low level. I’ll show them!

The spectators weren’t the only ones who looked at her though. She seemed to attract attention of her competitors too, which was quite natural, her being the only grown-up mare competing.

They want to beat me; they want to show the world that they are superior no matter the age.

“...and so, without further ado, begin!”

Rarity focused and floated in the black abyss again. This time, however, she knew a simple match won’t do the trick, so she imagined a large torch, which she then proceeded to light. A large ball of fire immediately appeared in front of her.

All I have to do now is to hold it. This is much harder than the small one, though.

After fifteen seconds, the announcer could be heard again.

“Twenty participants remaining now.”

Rarity was sweating and looking directly at the fireball now, as if pleading it to hold together.

Please, please, please stay like this for the next minute!

“Five participants remaining, forty-five seconds have passed.”

Rarity had already exhausted all her magic reserves and was using her life energy instead.

I can’t maintain it any longer, I just can’t!

She continued to maintain it anyway.

“One minute has passed and we have only two participants remaining. Miss Rarity from Ponyville with her fireball spell and Mr. Sunblaze Shadeseeker with his fire column spell. While the fire column is a more advanced spell than the fireball, Mr. Shadeseeker has only managed a very thin one. Miss Rarity cast a very nice fireball, but she seems to be out of strength!”

That’s it, I give up!

“You can do it Rarity!” a faint, but familiar voice shouted.

Rarity smiled after hearing this and redoubled her effort, her horn glow turning dark blue.

Spike. He must have gone to see me participate instead of Twilight! I must be more important to him than I thought. A proper lady should always return the favour, and if seeing me win is what he wants, seeing me win is what he gets!

“One minute and seventeen seconds have passed and Miss Rarity has given up. Mr. Shadeseeker still continues to hold his fire column.”

Rarity was covered in sweat and gasped for air rapidly. Muscles she didn’t even know she had were sore and the mother of all headaches inhabited her head.

Had I continued any longer, I would have passed out.

She started to watch her opponent.

That arrogant smirk on his face, present at all times. That confident look in his eyes, screaming at me that he’s better. I can’t stand him!

Finally, the fire column bent in half and disappeared.

“That’s one minute and twenty-six seconds. The referees will now announce their ratings.”

My fireball was superior to his column, they said so! I have to win this, I have to!

“...Glazeheart 46 points, Rarity from Ponyville 74 points...”

Yes! That’s the highest score yet!

“...Sunblaze Shadeseeker 76 points...”

Rarity’s mouth dropped open when she heard this. It took her several moments to process it, but the information was clear.

I... lost.