Observations and Motivations

Chapters

Chapter One: Banished
Chapter Two: Burned
Chapter Three: Burdened

Chapter One: Banished

My name is Twilight Sparkle. I am the protégé of Princess Celestia. I am also the embodiment of the Element of Magic, one of the Elements of harmony that protects Equestria from harm. Currently, in my possession, is Starswirl the Bearded's personal journal, a document long thought to be lost to the ravages of time. After reading through it multiple times, I've decided that it should be translated into Modern Equestrian so that recent generations can know of the ordeals of an older time. A time before the three pony species were united under common ideals. A time before the Sun and Moon were controlled by Alicorn royalty. A time before the Elements of Harmony had even been discovered.

This journal contains insights into many facets of the late Pre-classical and early Classical Pony Eras. I present to you, to the best of my abilities, The Chronicles of Starswirl.

1st Entry:

Writing isn't usually something I do, but after everything that's happened recently I have decided to give it a chance. This journal idea belongs to none other than my friend Platinum Pendant, although I just call her Penny for short. Anyway, today marks the first day on which I set out on my journey. But I guess that if this is to be an account of my life some sort of an explanation is in order.

I am, or was, rather, a member of the Star Clan. My family heads the group of unicorns in charge of raising and lowering the celestial bodies at all times of day. It has been this way from the dawn of history. I was able to use the family spell from an early age, and I was one of the youngest ever to master the basics of magic use. A savant was what they called me, and my Mark of Calling (Note: This is commonly known today as a Cutie Mark or Stud Stamp today, depending on gender.) was that of seven stars imposed upon a spiral galaxy's disc. I was destined to not only master the Clan Magic, but unbeknownst to my family, the magic of others as well.

It is a shame that this is frowned upon in society today. Being forced out of my life of luxury amid the ruling unicorn clans was brought about by by own innate curiosity. My family had hired a couple of unicorn to repair some masonry in the family home. I was secretly observing the magic that the repair-ponies were using, when one of them had accidentally knocked over a favored heirloom. The trinket was thoroughly destroyed, but instead of reporting the accident to his employers, the unicorn simply enveloped the pieces within his magic and soon the heirloom was as good as new.

I made my move. I approached the unicorn and let him know that I had witnessed his 'crime'. An action for those far beyond his station, he knew just what sort of punishment he was in for. Instead of turning him in, I bargained my silence for instruction on how to do the very spells he had just used. He agreed with little hesitation.

This was not the first time that I had resorted to such measures to sate my appetite for learning new forms of magic. I had already coerced the family chefs and gardeners into giving me their specialties as well. This was, however, the first time that I had been caught using magic outside Clan Magic. For my attempts at correcting something small and insignificant I would be cast out of my home and stripped of all ability to gain rank within the Unicorn Court.

All is not lost however, I still hold on to the support of my dear friend Penny, who claims to be able to someday rectify my situation and social standing. That someday being the small chance that she is able to claim the Platinum Crown. Which is possible, she being the thirteenth in line for the throne. I am not counting on those stars just yet. I have, however, decided to obtain the spells of every clan and make them available to everypony. Maybe then, the rest of unicorn society will see the error of their ways. Either way, for the time being, I am not allowed to return home.

2nd Entry:

I grudgingly have accepted additional help from Penny. Through her family connections I have been referred to a pegasi freelance group. They were looking for a combat magician for one of their outposts, but seeing as the Shield and Spear Clans are used almost solely to protect unicorn interests, the Squall Squadron gets me. Now it's only a matter of time before they realize just how lucky they are for having me instead of a specialist. I just need to find a way to convince them that I can be useful in combat.

3rd Entry:

I wasn't turned away outright, but they seem to really want a unicorn in their group. My first orders are to report to Fort Gale near Prance for some additional training before they send me off to where they think I'll be useful. I'll be headed there along with some other recruits, mostly pegasi. We leave in the morning, so I should probably get some rest before tomorrow.

On a side note, I've decided to send a correspondence to Penny, to thank her for the help she's provided me in my time of need, and to let her know where I'm headed. This little adventure was partly her idea in the first place, but the more I think about it, The more hopeful I become. I reason that the farther I get away from the central ruling authorities, the more likely I can find, or convince, other unicorns to part with formal doctrine and teach me some of their magic.

4th Entry:

The Pegasi recruits spent most of the day complaining about being on the ground for so long. As if I were to blame for the trek over land. We also happen to be escorting some supplies to the fort. Said supplies also contain our rations for the trip. I'm unsure whether they would complain less, or more, if they could put two-and-two together and realize that, without the supply wagon, we would be forced to eat only what we could scavenge for the remainder of the trip.

5th Entry:

I've at least been able to make a friend out of the pegasus named Frigid Flurry. After a recent string of complaints about the speed of our travels, I made known my thoughts regarding the additional supplies. This brought me some scrutiny from Frigid, who claimed that any pegasi could lift the cart and that I was the reason they couldn't just fly straight to our destination. I bet his raincoat that he would be unable to lift the cart alone, using only pegasus magic. Luckily for me, I had run through the supplies and found that there were many heavy trade tools in addition to what could be considered normal supplies. The additional weight would be no problem for a team, but a single pegasus wouldn't stand a chance at lifting that many anvils.

As soon as he switched places with our lead pony, an earth pony named Stout Haul, I thought that the bits were in the bag. I was surprised to find that Frigid was actually able to get a wheel off of the ground before he collapsed in a heap, defeated. The other pegasi soon took turns giving the new challenge a go, while Frigid admitted his loss and offered up his cloak.

Impressed, in no small part, by his civility as well as his bullheadedness, I refused his offering. I said something about how I didn't have anything to offer up if he had won in any case. He then said something along the lines of considering it a gift and giving it to me anyway. I don't think he suspects that I cheated at all, but I'll never tell him.

Stout thanked me for the quick break before shooing the rest of the recruits off and resuming his job of pulling the supplies.

Of the things I've learned today, I know now that a pegasus can hardly ignore a challenge. They also don't seem to be bothered at by any form of cold weather at all. Makes me wonder why a pony named Frigid Flurry even had a coat at all.

6th Entry:

As we came up to a crossroads today, we heard a cry for help coming from the adjacent forest. Frigid and I left the others and rushed into the forest to see if we could help. The canopy quickly grew thick overhead, forcing my friend to follow the path along beside me. Despite this, we soon arrived at the source of the commotion.

A lone merchant stood next to his cart staring at a point farther along the path. Frigid Pulled me to a stop, some distance from the cart. Apparently he had seen the cause of the merchant's distress before I did, and quickly pointed it out to me. The merchant was being turned to stone, by what could only have been a cockatrice.

Frigid said that it was too late to save the poor soul, and refused to approach the scene. I foolishly decided to march on without so much as a plan. Seeing my continued push to help, Frigid warned me to at least remember to not look at the creature's eyes directly, lest I suffer the same fate as the merchant. This gave me an idea.

I figured that If the beasts power came from its eyes, I might be able to disrupt that source of power. As I charged around the side of the cart I charged up the most powerful magic flash that I could muster. The moment I sighted the creature I knew that I was going to be in danger as well, but if my timing was right my spell would go off regardless, and blind the creature.

The flash of light was enough to charge the atmosphere and lightly singe everything unlucky enough to be in direct contact with the light. Luckily, the cockatrice's beady red eyes were among the casualties. Unluckily, so was I. The spell had worked, however, as I heard the creature crashing into what seemed to be every branch in the underbrush as it attempted to make its escape.

The beast's concentration thoroughly disrupted, and its magic disabled along with it, the merchant started to recover from his ordeal. Noticing that the situation had turned for the better, Frigid approached from his position as well. It wasn't long before the merchant fully regained his motor function and the stone spell left him. We assured him that he was in safe hooves and that the cockatrice had been scared away. He proceeded to tell us his name as well as his need for taking such a dangerous route with no escort in the first place.

His name is Tunewise, and his products were to be sold to nobles around the Capital. He said that he usually had things shipped when orders came in, but that he made an exception this time due to the fact that no orders had recently been made. His family just needed the bits from the sales so that they might make it comfortably through the winter.

We warned him to be more careful while travelling and that if he didn't require more assistance, we were going to go reunite with our group. He stopped us before we could leave and said that he would like to give me something in exchange for saving his life. I tried to refuse but he insisted. Unrolling a blanket on the back of the wagon, Tunewise revealed his wares.

True to his name, his wares included several hoofcrafted instruments, mostly of ornate design, but all of them fit for purchase from the upper classes that inhabited the capital. I asked him how he could struggle to make ends meet when he was selling such a fine product and he responded by saying that the items were so well crafted that a customer would rarely be in need of a replacement. This sometimes caused sales to be few and far in-between. In order appease his his honor, but not wanting to burden myself, I selected a round golden bell as payment for my deeds. As we began to depart, he wished us luck, something that the Merchant probably needed more so than I.

We caught back up with our group in short order, only to find that they had set up camp in our absence. Frigid spent the rest of the night retelling an exaggerated version of my 'heroic deeds' to the rest of the pegasi. I learned from Stout that cockatrice was considered a treat among griffons, and that, had we killed it, we could have sold its body for a princely sum. Their price affixed by what I can assume is the danger associated with the hunt of such a dangerous animal. A task I would be glad to leave to the griffons, if only so they wouldn't attempt to eat me instead!

Weary from the day's events I gaze at the golden reward now hanging around my neck. This needs to be my reminder of what it is that I am out here for. My desire to make spells knowable to all isn't done through some insane lust for power, or as a way to get back at those looking to enforce my sentence. No. The spells I'm going to learn should be used to help those who are unable to help themselves.

Oh, before I forget. I got this recipe from Stout called Cockatrice Cobbler. I'm not sure If it's even a real recipe, but It could someday prove useful to collect something other than spells, so I'm Including it here:

~~----------------~~

Twilight set down her quill with a sigh. She had debated on whether or not it was necessary to add some of the seemingly random articles tucked away within the journal, thinking that they might make readers wander off topic. Ultimately, she decided that Starswirl's collection of assorted pages went a long ways into explaining his personality. And besides, maybe somepony else could make something useful out of the assortment pieces of parchment.

~~----------------~~

7th Entry:

The rest of the trip has been relatively safe. Frigid says that I'll be able to see Fort Gale before too long. I've come to find that the cloak that was given to me by my friend has already been ruined thanks to the spell I'd used to scare away the cockatrice. Not all was lost, but I imagine that I'll eventually be looking for a new one the first chance I get. I'm not sure why I never considered packing for cooler weather before I left. I'll have to remember to consider things that are outside my control in the future.

~~--------@--------~~

Spells Learned:
Telekinesis
Celestial Body Control (Banned from use)
Quick Repair
Misc Cooking Spells
Misc Gardening Spells
Solar Flare (Great for fighting cockatrice)(Use with caution!)

Author's Note

Frigid Flurry-Pegasus recruit of the Squall Squadron, a freelancer group.
Stout Haul-An Earth Pony under the temporary employ of the Squall squadron. Currently hauling their supplies.
Platinum 'Penny' Pendant-13th in line for the Platinum Crown and Starswirl's oldest friend.
Tunewise-The merchant travelling through the forest.

Unicorn Court-Tribunal composed of leading Unicorn Clans.
Star Clan-Unicorn Family in charge of celestial movements
Platinum Family- Ruling unicorn family that rules in tandem to the Tribunal

Mark of Calling-Known as a Cutie Mark or Stud stamp today
Platinum Crown-Head ruler of the Platinum family as well as the Unicorn Race

Fort Gale- Pegasi Outpost near Prance
Prance - Largely an Earth Pony settlement located within the borderlands.

If you are having trouble reading the recipe, here is the text:

-Cockatrice Cobbler-
Ingredients:

~~1 Cockatrice cleaned~~ 1 pound Cactus Pulp

2 cups Carrots

3 potatoes

1 cup of Flour

2 spoons Pepper

1 spoon Salt

4 cups Broth (add some Rainbow Juice too)
Directions:

Place Ingredients in pot and cook over fire until broiling. After a quick boil, reduce heat and simmer until mixture has thickened into stew. Season to taste. Serves 4 Griffon.
Starswirl's Notes:

Not what I'd call a cobbler, I think this is more of a stew. Being a pony of course, I am unable to digest most of what a griffon would call food. I've been told that it's supposed to be spicy, which is why I've exchanged Basilisk meat for some cactus pulp. The broth is, of course, made with vegetables. If I can get my hooves on some of that Rainbow Juice I might use some of that too. The Pegasi insist that it can be quite spicy. I've found that this can serve up to 8 ponies.

Chapter Two: Burned

9th Entry:

Fort Gale is as impressive as any of the other Pagasus aerial constructions that I've seen, even if its size pales in comparison to that of Pegasopolis. At the moment I can only observe it from the ground, however. After talking to the officer in charge of such things, I was informed the pegasi are not accustomed to having ground-based guests, and that I would be without regular lodging, were it not for the kind hospitality of a local unicorn family.

The Stone family operates a gem mine in the area, and it appears that I will be staying with them for the foreseeable future. Although, with any luck I'll be able to observe some of their spells so that I might add them to my own growing list.
The family consists solely of the father, named Slate, and his two daughters, Gem and Sand. The eldest of their children, Gem, has offered to give me a grand tour of their property. I might even take her up on it one of these days.

I'm told that recruit training starts tomorrow with some light calisthenics followed by spell practice for myself, and aerial maneuver instruction for the other recruits. It's really starting to look like I am the only magician in the unit. I need to remember to write to Penny, informing her of my safe arrival in Prance. I should probably leave out the whole cockatrice encounter though. She'd probably wring my neck if she found out I'd put myself against anything really dangerous.

10th Entry:

It seems news of my status has finally passed through the ranks. Whispered callings of Starswirl the Banished were destined to form, but it doesn't feel any better coming from a self-proclaimed 'Superior Officer', named Lieutenant Thunderhead, who has taken it upon himself to inform me that I am nothing more than a worthless asset as far as he's concerned. He even attempted to complain that my first day of self-instructed magic training wasn't as strenuous as it should be. Had I less sense about me I may have blinded him with my newest spell. Alas, managing to remain calm seems to be a necessary skill when dealing with the denser military types.

Needless to say, I didn't bother sticking around after drills. I left for the Stone's home at the edge of town, hoping that I could accept Gem's tour proposal. As I was cutting through town, I came across a tailor shop. Sadly, there didn't seem to be anything there to my liking. If I'm going to be some sort of combat spell caster, I'm going to need something a bit less cumbersome than armor in order to not impede my casting. Not too many of the casual offerings they were offering would fare very well in battle either.

The outfits that the Platinum Guards wear are more suited for close combat. It's ideally designed for either defense or offense depending on which type of castor is using it. Being raised on neither discipline, I think I might need change up some things as far as a uniform goes. Thinking up ideas on what would make my clothing the most useful kept me occupied until I made it to the edge of town, the Stone Manor visible upon the valley slopes.

It didn't take long to locate Gem and take her up on her tour. Many questions were passed back and forth between us regarding family histories and I answered as best I could. At some point I asked her how her family manages a complex of a task as running a mining operation. This earned me a confused look from the mare.

She questioned why a Celestial Clan member would ever want to know about the fine details of prying gemstones from rock. I assume she was only worried that my family was trying to buy out her family's operation, to which I assured her that I was only showing interest in order to sate my innate curiosity. In truth I was just interested on how they used their magic to locate and remove the gems without compromising the mine shaft's structural integrity. Much to my amazement, I've learned that the Stone family hires Earth ponies to dig up the gems instead of using magic.

Upon inquiring why they preferred to use other races instead of Unicorns to extract the gems, my tour guide unintentionally gave me what I needed to discover the basics involving their family spell. Their spell wasn't just a basic clairvoyance spell modified to detect the precious stones, as I'd first suspected, but rather they used an alteration type spell that let the gems reflect light even through the rock walls. My guess is that another unicorn casts a specific kind of light, with its color and intensity altered to match the types of gem that are desired.

The type of light used must be the proprietary portion of the Stone's spell casting technique. I should be able to ask for training in the rock alteration portion, in order to help the family business during my stay of course, without arousing suspicions.

11th Entry:

The last few days have been much the same. Morning magic practice down beneath Fort Gale followed by a quick meal in town before leaving to assist my hosts. I've convinced the father to let me learn the portion of the spell that didn't involve any proprietary information, and I soon hope to add the alteration magics to my training regimen.

Today, I ran into Frigid waiting outside the small establishment that I've been frequenting for my mid-day meals. He apparently had been waiting for me in hopes of what he described only as 'hanging out'. Frankly, I was a little surprised to hear from him again considering what the rumors surrounding my arrival were saying about me. I invited him to join me for lunch.

Frigid said that he had heard the rumors of my banishment but that he didn't care. He considered himself my friend, and after that whole incident with the cockatrice he wasn't going to hold anything in my past against me. At least as long as I continued to help others, he insisted. That's when he decided to inform me of the reason why he decided to join up with the freelancer group.

It turns out that he has a younger sister back in his hometown whom he cares for deeply. He came out here so that he might learn to be able to protect her better. When we ran into the cockatrice, he froze up whilst I charged in. If he could learn to be more courageous by following my example, then he would be glad to be able to fight by my side.

When I informed him that I thought our last adventure was less about courage and more about brash recklessness, he said that it didn't matter. If he could fight to protect ponies, including his sister, from the dangers of our world, then the motivations behind the actions didn't really matter.

Reflecting on his words, I've come to understand that I have made a wise friend indeed. Even if he himself didn't understand just how much wisdom his words held.

Our talk took a brighter turn after that and Frigid informed me that a lot of the hostility I had been receiving from superiors stemmed from the fact that I couldn't attend the normal briefings and such that took place up in the clouds. Why they hold these types of things in such high regards is beyond me, but if being stuck on the ground was what was causing such grief, then I'd better add 'finding a way to get to the fort' to my list of things to do.

12th Entry:

After several failed attempts at conjuring a set of wings that would allow me to visit the offices of my command structure, I've enlisted the help of my friend to try and see if I could alter the properties of the cloud itself. Maybe then I could use it to ferry myself to up to the fort. The tiny cloud he managed to procure was less than ideal, but it was better than nothing. Frigid also informed me of the fact that there are different types of clouds, but aside from storm clouds I still haven't been able distinguish between them easily.

The cloud that I was using for practice was one of the denser varieties that would normally be used for constructing one of the buildings that the pegasi are so fond of. At least that's what I was told, my hoof still passed cleanly through it, hardly disturbing the surface when I attempted to touch the cloud. I asked Frigid if he knew how the cloud normally reacted to his touch, and how it was supposed to support his weight. After observing his 'demonstration' which consisted of him simply jumping onto the cloud, I made some closer observations.

Not only did my pegasus friend not pass through the cloud, but the cloud actually seemed to push back. This means that the cloud is actually more dense when it comes into contact with pegasi magic. While I'm not sure I can't simulate that particular magic, I might just be able to modify how the cloud reacts to my own hooves.

I enveloped myself in an aura that would pull the cloud material towards my hooves in order to simulate the observed effects. I tested the effects by attempting to jump onto the cloud as Frigid had done earlier. The result was myself completely covered in cloud, thoroughly soaked. After Frigid pulled himself out of his fit of laughter and helped get the cloud off of me, I decided that we would continue the experiment after we figured out what the spell was still missing. That, and the fact that we were now without a cloud with which to conduct more tests.

13th Entry:

Success! I can't believe that I'd forgotten to take into consideration the fact that pegasi magic has the potential to lessen the weight of objects under its influence. I've also learned not to apply the actual cloud interaction to anything other than my hooves. Now if only my superiors could understand how much effort it takes to develop a such a spell. It was nice to see the surprised look on everypony's faces when a unicorn just strolls through Fort Gale. I still need to be transported via cloud or cart with the help of a pegasus, but at least now they can't claim that I'm trying to exempt myself to their normal operations.

To celebrate my success I've decided to go ahead and purchase the supplies I'll need to make my new uniform. If I'm going to spend any length of time in a pegasus structure I'm going to want to stay at least a little bit warm. Gem has even volunteered to help me put it together, a boon considering I've never attempted to sew anything together before. I'm not sure whether or not she has any experience either, but she has been insistent on spending more time with me.

If my relationship with her is headed in the direction I think she's intending, I may just have to distance myself before she can get too attached. No reason to ruin her family's standing by intermingling with one whose standing is in as such a questionable position as my own. Besides, I've no reason to tie myself to a singular location just yet. There are only so many spells that I can learn from hurling magic at targets.

I still need to see more of this world. Learning it's secrets and how to use them advantageously is almost a stronger motivator than wanting to help others.

14th Entry:

I've received another letter from Penny. She's been talking to the unicorn guards on my account. Nothing that's cause for banishment, just tips on how to increase casting stamina. Apparently the Alteration Class Spells that I've been using are on the higher end of spell casting as far as how much magic they drain when cast. The conjuration spells that they use are capable of multiple casts depending on the mass of the object being created. The suggestions they've provided for a training regimen also include prioritizing a reduced recovery time between spells instead of focusing on the overall number of casts.

I plan on implementing this into my training plan tomorrow.

15th Entry:

During training, I noticed that the Pegasi were amassing a number of rain clouds above the town, but were stockpiling them instead of laying them out as they normally would for a storm. I asked Frigid what was going on during our normal lunch break. He asked If I knew what a Firefly was. Other than something a Phoenix might like to snack on, I wasn't sure what it was exactly. Frigid then proceeded to berate me on missing so many daily briefings (I've really got to stop the habit of only going about once a week).

As it turns out, Fireflies are a pest from the southern badlands. They appear as a swarm every half century or so, burning everything in their path before returning to the badlands to repeat the cycle. A swarm was recently spotted by one of our scouts and would be hear in a few days. The rain clouds were being made as fast as possible in order to keep the flaming insects from setting the town ablaze.

Lunch ended early as Frigid had to get back to work manufacturing clouds. I got a lift up to the fort to see if there was anything that I could assist with. I was told, under no uncertain terms, that unless I had a way to turn all of the Fireflies into some less harmful insect or learn to make clouds, that there wasn't much that they would let me do. Needless to say, telling me that I'm not able of assisting makes me more determined to find a way around such implied limitations.

We have a few days, and I have a plan.

16th Entry:

I've spent a busy couple of days preparing for the swarm. The spell is complete, but I don't have any time to really test it. Luckily, it doesn't require any of the limited knowledge I have in Conjuration. For this to work it will require all of the information I've obtained concerning Alteration Magic, as well as the fast casting practice I've managed so far. I can't alter the Fireflies because I've never studied them, and I've never tried conjuring clouds but I have learned a thing or two by manipulating them.

The variant spell I've created is designed to be used on the houses in town. I plan to envelop as many flammable buildings as I can, in hopes that it can whisk away any heat produced by fire. I'm not sure how many buildings I can protect, but it should work if any part of the swarm makes it past the pegasi's Storm Curtain that they've been surrounding the town with.

I should probably get some rest before tomorrow. A red glow can be seen in the distance, caused by the fires that are already spreading in advance of the swarm. I believe that the insects will be arriving sometime around noon.

17th Entry:

A few days have passed since my last entry. I can say that the swarm was more than anything I could have imagined. An untold number of insects all trying to burn anything they could touch. I've been told that the reason they do this is because they need to consume the ash. Luckily the town was encircled within the veil of constant rain being maintained by the freelancer pegasi. As long as the bugs chose to stay near the ground where they could feed on the ash there was no chance that the town was in any real danger.

After being a little let down that I wouldn't be of much help, a frantic Gem Stone practically crashed into me, thwarting my observations. Her younger sister, Sandy, was nowhere to be found. Gem thought that she might have escaped back to their house, which had been sealed up before the family had sought shelter within the veil. It also happened to be the only structure which I felt the need to cast my spell on. Even though it was mostly made of stone, it wasn't near enough to the town to gain protection via storm cloud.

We ran into Mr. Stone after we rushed to the veil nearest the house. He was nearly distraught asking to see if anypony had seen Sandy, but still no word about her whereabouts had come. I offered to check the house.

I stood in the rain for a bit, soaking myself and my new cloak as much as possible before I venturing out into the swarm. After casting the Flame Ward spell on myself, I galloped into the swarm. The tiny insects kept haphazardly bumping into me in their attempts to set me aflame, only to have the flames rapidly whisked away. The sudden loss of their element caused every Firefly that came into contact with the spell to fall away, dead. Apparently, they were unable to sustain themselves once their flames died. Sadly the spell did not last for long on a moving pony such as myself, and would need to be recast before I reached my destination. My dampened cloak was my only protection while I recast the spell. The only problem when this occurred, was that the Firefly were free to attack as many times as they wished. By the time I reached the stone house, I was almost completely dry.

After sealing the door behind me, I quickly searched the house. I almost missed the little filly tucked away inside her closet, leaving its safety only to investigate the sound of my bell, while clutching something to her chest. I learn that she had forgotten to bring her doll with her to town earlier today. When she overheard some adults talking about swarm arriving, she came to retrieve her treasured toy. Once the insects arrived, she became trapped here. At least she had managed to seal herself within the enchanted walls. I shudder at the thought of her being left to wander outside during this ordeal.

Her family left to worry back in town, and no guarantee that the pests wouldn't eventually find a way around my wards, I convinced Sandy to accompany me to the veil. I removed my cloak and had her climb atop my back, then soaked the cloak with water once more before covering the both of us with it. I made sure the enchantments were holding before we left the safety of the house.

Maintaining the ward on myself and the filly while galloping towards the proved to be quite difficult, and soon it began to weaken. Sandy let out a whimper every time a Firefly noisily collided with the cloak covering her, a dull thud followed by a whisper of steam. I did my best to maintain the ward, but after a few casts my magic was already beginning to wane. I would just make it with what would be my last cast, but the thickest part of the swarm lay between us and the safety of town. My spell wasn't going to endure the number of hits that the solid wall of Fireflies would impart.

Instead of casting the final ward on the filly and me, I pulled together every last bit of magic power that I had left and quickly grafted the Fire Ward into my Solar Flare spell. I blasted a crater into the scorched wall, which rapidly sucked the insect's cumulative heat into the rain. The last of my energy spent, my final memory was that of myself collapsing from exhaustion, just short of the veil.

I'm told that, luckily, that the crowd of ponies that had gathered to search for Sandy had witnessed my final spell. They crossed through the rain and pulled us to safety before the swarm could reclaim us. Had it not been for an unexpected effect of my spell, they might not have even managed that. The massive amount of heat sucked away from the insects by my magic was pushed into the veil, apparently causing the the falling water to convert to steam so violently that it suppressed any nearby insects who managed to survive the initial spell. This leads me to believe that my understanding of Fire Ward is not as complete as I thought. The dissipated heat doesn't disappear at all, it likely just moves somewhere else.

The swarms have subsided and both Sandy and I are doing fine now. I haven't really been able to get away from the gratitude and praise bestowed upon me from the rest of her family though. I've been constantly congratulated for showing the courage to save a filly who, they seem to fail to realize, would have been perfectly safe had she simply stayed inside the still-intact, stone house.

The only casualty, aside from any surface crops outside the veil, seems to be my new cloak, which received numerous scorch marks, my bell being the only part to remain unscathed. I swear that I'm just going to completely cover my next uniform in bells, just so it survives the next random enchanted creature encounter.

I take that back. It's a terrible idea. I seriously doubt that anypony would take me seriously if every move I made was cause for them to cover their ears from the tumult of bell chimes.

18th Entry:

A few more days of rest was all I needed to fully recover. Gem surprised me this morning by bringing a wholesome breakfast. It turns out that the doll that Sandy rescued was a memento from their mother. I feel utterly terrible by thinking that I'm going to break her heart when I leave. I've already decided to put in a request for a transfer to another branch of the Squall Squadron.

I've learned about as much as I can from this place, and as much as I appreciate the adoration of the town, it's time for me to move on. A good portion of my command still hasn't managed to notice just how useful a mage of my talents can be. Hopefully a change of venue will present me with some more insightful colleagues.

~~----------------~~

19th Entry:

My transfer request was approved, more or less. I had a long talk with the head pegasus-in-charge about the matter. He was actually a witness to my endeavors during the swarm. After what I did earlier, it wasn't hard to prove that the Squadron actually had no idea how I could be of use to them. I was informed that the transfer was initially denied, but instead, I've been given special dispensation. I've been promoted to a new Unicorn-only rank (whatever that means) and I'm allowed to go where I think I'm needed, so long as the squadron has a means to communicate with me.

Frigid took the news well enough, and I'll miss him, but he says he understands the motivations behind my decision to leave. Gem was less that understanding. I tried to explain to her that any sort of relationship with me was just not going to work. I've got nothing to my name, and I still have a job to do. My work is just too important for me to be tied down just yet.

Gem will get over it, I'm sure, with time.

As for my destination, I'm not entirely sure where I'll end up next. After I finish making preparations, and a new cloak, I plan on sneaking into the Capital and saying 'hello' to Penny. Maybe she knows of a place where I might be needed.

Twilight put the quill down. "Another section complete." she thought to herself, just as Pinkie Pie burst the the front door. She had told Pinkie about the pancake recipe in hopes of piquing her interest in history.

"Where is it? Is it in here?" Pinkie yanked Starswirl's journal out from in front of Twilight and began flipping through the pages.

"Careful with that, Pinkie, It's really old and-" Twilight interrupted herself as a single piece of paper fluttered to the floor. "delicate..."

"Oops, I am so sorry, Twilight. I just wanted to find out how to make those pancakes." Pinkie said with a frown.

"That's alright Pinkie, I'll just have to figure out which part of the book it came from."

Twilight grasped the loose paper within her telekinesis and took a closer look at it. Instead of the random recipe or other miscellaneous letter that Starswirl usually kept, this sheet contained only numbers. The numbers were arranged as though they were a series of dates, like so:

3/16/17, 1/6/3, 2/15/14

"That's odd, I wonder what they refer to?" Twilight asked aloud.

"Maybe they were days that were super important!"

As far as Twilight knew, Starswirl didn't spend much time in the Classical Era. Maybe he looked them up afterwards and tucked them in his journal for future reference. Either way It was just another addition to the mystery that was Starswirl.

Spells Learned:
Alteration
~~Conjure Wings~~ (Butterfly wings? What was I thinking?)
Cloud Walk
Flame Ward

Author's Note

Outbreak of Fireflies! What?
Gem Stone - Daughter of the Stone family, has an slight, but un-returned, interest in Starswirl as a romantic partner(probably due to the low number of eligible unicorn in the area.)
Father Stone - Father of Gem and head of the Stone family. Helpful and honest, but strict in a business sense.
Sand Stone - Youngest daughter of the Stone family
Lieutenant Thunderhead - One of the higher ups of Squall squadron.

Recipe text:

-Pegasopolis Pancakes-
Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Flour

2 Eggs

1 3/4 cups Milk

1 spoon Vanilla

1 1/2 cups Skyberries
Directions:

Mix eggs, flour, milk, and vanilla in a bowl until you reach a well-combined but still lumpy consistency. Gently add berries into the mix until evenly distributed, taking care not to crush them. Pour small amount onto a hot griddle, flipping them once bubbles start to force themselves up through the uncooked batter. Once the pancake has cooked to a golden brown on both sides, it is ready to be served.
Starswirl's Notes:

The first time I had this it came with a side of Poison Joke. The taste was energetic regardless of the harmless entertainment value I provided my cohorts shortly thereafter. If I never see that magic flower again it will be too soon. Also, instead of throwing the berries while mixing the batter placing them onto the pancake in concentric patterns while they cook keeps them intact and sates any obsessive tendencies.

Chapter Three: Burdened

20th Entry:

At long last, I've finally returned to some semblance of civilization. I sort of left this journal behind in my haste, so it has been a while since the last entry. As far as what has happened in the meantime, I can safely say that I hope to never have to act as mediator between Diamond Dogs and ponies ever again. A story for another time perhaps, but aside from that, I've managed to pick up a little bit of Conjuration magic as well as a new recipe:

~~----------------~~

Anyway, upon my return to the city, I received a letter from Frigid. It seems that Squall Squadron is gearing up for something big and they have specifically requested my involvement. His letter fails to mention what it is that the group is aiming to do, but it looks like we won't be the only ones involved. That can only mean that whatever it is that's going on, It must be big. Very Big.

Penny won't be happy to see me leave so soon, but I suppose it can't be helped. Nothing official has been requested of me, otherwise they wouldn't have used Frigid to contact me. If that is the case, then I may just attempt to sneak away before Penny realizes my absence.

21st Entry:

My estimate of just how important this project is has got to be the understatement of the year. As it turns out, they've finally found a use for my Flame Ward. Squall Squadron is teaming up with at least one of the other freelancer groups in order to hunt down a dragon. While normally an attempt is made to chase a dragon away from civilization, this particular dragon has developed a taste for ponies and it doesn't look like it's going to change its venue anytime soon.

The plan is, according to Frigid, to enchant the soldiers' armor with the flame resist. They think that once the flames are dealt with they can deal with the dragons other dangerous bits. I'm hesitant to tell them just how difficult it is for a lone unicorn to cover as many ponies with wards as they hope. Last time I found the ward difficult to keep on just myself. Luckily for them I some ideas I plan to implement towards that end.

I've found that no two materials seem hold the enchantment spells for similar lengths of time. Alternatively, depending on which type of enchantment is used, the same material can have different lengths for which it will hold the said enchantment. If I can find something that has the attributes needed to hold Flame Ward to itself for a reasonable amount of time, then we should be good to go. At least as good to go as we could be when attempting to take on one of the most dangerous creatures known to pony kind.

22nd Entry:

Testing for a suitable material continues. Cloth and other flexible material aren't fit to hold the spell for any substantial length of time, so it looks like I'll need to use some sort of ore or possibly a gem. An ore would be the best, especially if the metal was already being used in pegasi armor. The gems would be prohibitive based on the price alone, but seeing as I already know a little bit about their composition from my time spent with the Stone family, they could prove to be the most useful in holding a ward.

Some more information on our intended target, the dragon's den is located in the mountains of a rural region to the north. The closest town is an Earth Pony settlement called Derby, which used to be a prominent mining town before their mines dried up. Makes me wonder just how much treasure the dragon has managed to wrangle away from the inhabitants for its hoard.

The other portion of the shared command by Squall Squad goes to the infamous Thunder Troops. Their sole reason for joining us, I suspect, is so that they can nab the dragon's stash. It wouldn't be the first time that treasure has been their sole motivation for fighting.

23rd Entry:

I've finally discovered the best substance to use for the enchantment. A gem, appropriately called Fire Opal, seems to be able to hold the ward most effectively, followed closely by Rubies. While these aren't exactly cheap, I think the command is hedging on being able to recover any losses through acquisition of the hoard. Provided we're able to divvy it up between us and the Thunder mercenaries.

I'm now headed back to Fort Gale, which Frigid says has been moved near enough to Derby so as to not arouse suspicion of the dragon, but close enough to the town to act as an operating base. At least this time I won't have to walk. Once we procure some more items for the enchanting demonstration, Frigid says that I can hop in the back of his cart. I'm actually looking forward to my first long distance flight.

Frigid has said that my added weight won't be too much hassle for him to handle. Indeed, he's gained some muscle since I last saw him near Prance. He's also been quite helpful in acquiring the items I've needed for the experiments. I'll need to figure out how I can repay him for his assistance at some point in time.

24th Entry:

I've taken residence in one of the, now many, abandoned buildings within Derby while I work on the enchantments. Those few ponies that have chosen to wait out the 'storm' here seem almost devoid of hope. Nopony leaves their homes at night, and much the surrounding countryside is disturbingly quiet. The low hanging smog, as Frigid calls it, does nothing to lift the mood. I keep having to remind myself that the best way to help them is to perfect each of the enchantments so that nopony gets burned when we attack.

Frigid has been ferrying supplies and information to me from the fort while I reside here. I don't think I really needed to, but I've warned him to avoid traveling the area at night, just as the locals do. He spends as little time as possible here when on a delivery and he agreed, readily, to restrict his travel times.

At least we have a plan of attack now. Troops from a mix of both groups will be split into teams. The first team only consists of a few pegasi whose goal is to lure the dragon out of its den. Once outside, the main force is to use their superior numbers and close range agility to repeatedly strike the dragon from all sides, eventually subduing the beast. I'll be tagging along to update the Flame Ward enchantments should they wear off during the fight.

25th Entry:

I'll begin my ascent to the dragon's lair days ahead of the main attack force. Command would like me to take a pegasi-pulled cart to the fight, but I convinced them that it would be best to let anypony not involved with the main force to stay away from the actual fight, including support pegasi. That way everypony will be in top shape for the ambush. When I reach top I should be able to rendezvous with the scouting party with plenty of time to rest up before the attack.

Frigid has been 'volunteered' to be my escort up the mountain. I'm sure that he would have come with me anyway, provided that he wouldn't be ground-bound throughout the trip. The smog has only gotten thicker in recent days. The possibility of us losing sight of each other is just one of the downsides to this unnatural weather. Plant life in the valley grows weak from the lack of sun, and the ground is cold. I'll be sure to pack myself plenty of food for the trip.

Its also a good thing that I've had a little time in between experimentation sessions to make myself a new cloak, I have a feeling I'll need it up on the mountain.

26th Entry:

Met up with the scouting party today. They seem to think that we will be able to wrap up this whole dragon business with no problem. The two pegasi from Thunder Troop are quite rambunctious for spies and I'm honestly quite surprised that they haven't already alerted the dragon to our presence. Their only saving grace is the fact that they smuggled something of the alcoholic variety into camp. The stuff they brought is actually pretty good, too bad I'll need to keep a clear head before the assault. I've got a good amount of enchanting to do early tomorrow.

The stuff they brought is a candied cider. I've managed to snag instructions on how it's made before the trooper passed out:

~~----------------~~

Anyway, the big event starts in the morning, and I've got to prepare for the main attraction.

27th Entry:

I-It's been a few days since I've written anything. I just don't know what to do anymore. Everything went to Tartarus before the main assault force could finish readying the ambush outside the cave entrance. I'll always remember the horror of the day we attacked the dragon.

Everything started to go wrong when the Thunder Troop portion of the decoy team decided to sneak some of the dragon's treasure out early. This, predictably, caused the dragon to start his morning rampage before we were ready.

The decoy team never made it out of the cave.

Soon after, the main assault force decided to go and attempt to rescue the decoy team. Things then went from bad to worse, the entire plan for the ambush was now out the window.

The group that Frigid and I were a part of, was one of the last to enter the cave. The instant we entered the dragon's home he made sure that we knew it. With each group trying its best to damage the dragon in tight quarters, unable to break away when they needed, the dragon brutally and rapidly countered almost every attack. Our team barely made it into the main chamber before the dragon swept the entire group back outside with a simple flick of his tail.

I skidded towards the edge of the cliff in front of the cave, Frigid immediately behind me. I managed to hook my foreleg over some scrub bush before tumbling over the edge. Frigid managed to grab a hold of me as he too fell over the side, his right wing hanging uselessly by his side, damaged in the attack. I tried to pull us both up, but the long-dead plant threatened to pull free with every shift of our combined weight.

The small support team, which were ordered to stay out of the fight at my insistence, was still too far away to help, and my grip had started to loosen. Frigid said that it wasn't any use for both of us to fall, and that he'd rather try to glide to some low lying cloud so that I might be able to climb up. He let go. I yelled for him to stop, but by then he had already vanished from sight, swallowed up in the thick haze.

I managed to pull myself up the ledge, only to spin around to see if I can manage to spot my friend once more. I hoped he was alright, that he would manage to glide to safety, even though I knew in the back of my mind that he's the one who took the brunt of the blow which knocked us out here. He wouldn't be able to glide anywhere. I still couldn't see him.

The dragon can still clearly be heard giving the remaining pegasi a new fear of the mythical. I manage to pull myself together for a final charge. By then, I've had enough of this.

I charge up as much power into a single Flame Ward as I could and I charged into the cave screaming at the top of my lungs. By the time I reach the main chamber, most of the troops are out of commission. The dragon simply rears up and lets loose its flaming breath, looking to quickly end my insolence. I spot my opening and beat back the dragon's direct attack with my ward, yelling insults and shouting some pretty crazy things. Something along the lines of how I'm a child of the stars and that no flames could ever hurt me.

Amused, or annoyed, I'm not sure which, the dragon inhaled deeply for a more powerful attack to meet my challenge. It was all I could do to keep the ward going while readying my next spell. The breath was so powerful that the ground around me had even started to glow a deep cherry red. Before long, a loud crack could be heard through the din of fire. The dragon's attack was abruptly halted by the stalactite that plummeted to the floor, the real goal of my attack, which pierced through the beast's slender neck and pinned it to the floor, dead.

My work complete, I started to collapse to the now-molten floor, no doubt due to my recent drain of magic power combined with the onset of heat exhaustion. It was only then that one of the quicker pegasus from the support group arrived, tackling me away from molten puddle, and keeping me from burning alive in the process. I somehow managed to keep awake, and at some point, I even ordered the responding support teams to care for the wounded and search for Frigid. After that, I let unconsciousness take me.

I woke up only this morning, and apparently I'm now in charge. None of the commanding officers involved in the attack survived, and with my unusual rank, adding to the fact that I just slew the dragon with a single attack, I'm now the one giving orders. Not something which I prefer outright, having others depend on me like that, but since then the wounded have been tended to. Most of them, anyway. There were thirty-seven injured in total, myself included. Fourteen are dead, and three are still unaccounted for.

Frigid is still among the missing.

Most of the Thunder Troops fled. I'm sure they would have demanded their portion of the treasure, but for fear of repercussions, either from the rest of the squadrons or for fear of me and mine, I'm uncertain. I've noticed that the other pegasi fear me now too. They do everything I say, regardless of what the task may be, and they seem to be avoiding my presence more so than usual. I don't quite know how I feel about that, but in the meantime I've set them to work. Those who've succumbed to their injuries must be given the proper respects. The dead dragon's hoard still needs to be inventoried before it can be distributed, and the dragon's body needs to be disposed of as well. Anypony too injured to care for themselves must be moved back to the Fort and the pegasi still missing need to be searched for.

I'd search for Frigid myself, but in my current state I'm forced to delegate the task to somepony else. The haze near the base of the mountain is still thick from the dragon's smoke. I just hope that we can find my friend before it's too late.

28th Entry:

There's still no sign of Frigid. One of the other lost pegasi has been found, dead, and while the outlook is not good, I remain hopeful. Those who have died in the attack have been returned home, and I've been able to reassign more pegasi to help with the search efforts.

A few interesting items have been found within the hoard. It turns out that this dragon was female. Had she survived, this lair would soon be supporting several younger dragons. Five dragon eggs have been located. I'm told that the legends say that the eggs can only be hatched through a dragon's flame. With their mother gone these eggs might never hatch, should we be so lucky. While their value to collectors might be incredible, I believe that they might benefit my studies more. Even if I never learn how to mimic the hatching process in order to study the dragons themselves, their makeup alone is worth the study. I'll add them to my personal portion of the treasure once we're able to divvy it out.

The other ponies might object to this, but from what I've seen on how they act around me, they probably won't try anything to stop me. What could they do to somepony who's killed a dragon by himself anyway?

29th Entry:

I haven't slept in what seems like days. Since the treasure has been accounted for, I've assigned all able-bodied pegasi to search for Frigid. The second missing pony was found alive, but is in bad shape. She apparently collided with several branches from a dead tree on her way down, breaking more than just her fall. They say she'll be lucky if she survives the night.

The pain caused by the relatively minor burns to my hooves is nothing compared to what Frigid must be going through. When they find him and patch him up, he might never be able to fly again. I don't know how I'd cope without being able to use my magic, let alone If I was unable to do what I was born to, all while being stranded all alone at the bottom of a mountain. Just thinking about it gives me nightmares.

30th Entry:

I just don't know what to do anymore. The rest of the squadron is getting restless. I've managed to keep them busy with the search but they still haven't found my friend. The hoard is just waiting to be split up, but I need to find Frigid before I'll let anypony deal with that. He's still out there, and I won't rest until we find him. If only I could go look myself, I'm sure I'd be able to spot him right away, obscuring fog or not.

31st Entry:

I don't know what had come over me these last few days. When Penny herself showed up to the cave, I thought that I had truly gone insane. She had heard about the losses here and was worried for my safety. After getting almost no response other than the fact that the dragon was dead, she became worried and snuck out here to see if I was alright. Even though my injuries had mostly healed, it turns out that I was far from being okay.

I was a mess. I wasn't getting any sleep, and worse, I was pushing the pegasi too hard in order to find Frigid. Through Penny's consolation, I've been able to realize what I had been keeping from myself. Frigid was gone. I tried my hardest to not let my feelings get the better of me, but accepting the loss of my friend had suddenly become too much to handle. I broke down completely, everything coming together at once. All the deaths involved with this mission. My best friend falling to his death, seemingly never to be found.

Penny, however, widened my view of the situation. Once she knew the facts, she told me that, had Frigid not sacrificed himself, I would have fallen to my death as well. Then who would have stopped the dragon's wrath? Nopony. Frigid and the others died so that many more might live. It was his duty, and it was mine as well. She reminded me that I was never to forget that.

After I had calmed down and ordered the search to be called off. Penny started questioning me about my physical state when she noticed my bell lying next to my cot. During the fight it was the only part of my cloak to survive, again. Only this time, it narrowly escaped destruction itself, nearly melting from the heat. It didn't even make the same melodic sound anymore, only a dull, sorrowful song could be heard from it now. Penny thought it was amusingly poetic that the bell had matured along with its owner. I didn't find it quite as humorous, and questioned the point she was attempting to make.

She said that when I left home for the first time, I was a brash colt, courageous to a fault. Now I was something else. I cared what others thought of me, and while my goals of mastering all forms of magic was still a little self serving, I still used it for the good of others. Penny also mentioned that even the stubble that had been growing from my snout these past few weeks was a 'maturing' look for me.

32nd Entry:

Penny left early the next morning. It felt like that was first time I had slept in weeks. I've been pretty busy since then. The dragon's hoard has been distributed throughout the squadron. I've also officially stepped down as the temporary commander of the Squall Squadron. The title now belongs to the pegasus who saved my life after the fight. He's still little young for such a job, but I have a feeling he's going to do just fine.

I've got the dragon's eggs in my possession, and am heading to Central to find a place to store them. Whichever place I choose will hopefully be the new base of operations for my research. I might even accept an apprentice or two. But before I start planning away any future studies, there is still something I must do. Frigid mentioned that he had a sister whom he genuinely cared for. I owe it to him to help her in anyway possible, including giving her Frigid's share of the hoard. I just have no idea how to find her, other than the fact that she goes by the name Surprise.

33rd Entry:

I think that I've found the ideal location with which to continue my studies now that I'm no longer a part of the Squall Squadron. After I stowed the dragon eggs away, I went into town for some supplies. I still need a replacement for the garments that were destroyed in the fight. I'll hopefully have time to put everything together tomorrow.

In all of my errand running I managed to let Penny know that I had made it back, and that I had a new place to stay. Oddly though, her disposition seemed distant. The only response, at all, that I received from her concerned the fact that a couple of ponies had shown interest in my work. She wouldn't even say who they were, only that they would be directed to my new residence for a later meeting.

While I was returning to Central, I let my mind wander towards what I want to do as far as my research goes. There is still an awful lot I don't understand about how the world works. I'm sure that there are still increasingly powerful spells that I have yet to get my hooves on. Before long, I'd even imagined that, if I had acquired any of these spells, that I might have been able to save Frigid. It's not a train of thought that I wish to dwell on, but I seem to be unable to help myself in this regard.

I just can't stop thinking of all of the things that I could or couldn't have possibly done. If I could have conjured a physical shield for the troops, instead of just enchanting them with Flame Ward, would the outcome have been any different? What if I had learned to manipulate the very forces which continue to pull me towards the earth? Could I have saved my friend. The possibilities must be nearly endless. I don't think I'll ever be able to answer any of these questions, but I don't think I'll ever be able to stop thinking about them either. Those thoughts are almost always at the forefront of my mind as of late, and the answers may very well haunt me for the rest of my life.

34th Entry:

I spent a lot of time looking for them yesterday, but my new cloak wouldn't have been complete without them. Eighteen bells, including my original, now adorn the periphery of the fabric. One bell for every pegasus lost that day on the mountain, and one to represent myself. Others will surely comment on just how ridiculous I must look, but I doubt that I could bring myself to care about what others only think they know at this point. I'll carry their memories with me everywhere, even if I never knew them personally, so that I can remind myself that my work is never done.

I was just admiring my hoofiwork when my mystery visitors arrived. To my surprise, I was greeted by a creature that I'd previously thought of as a myth or a legend. At first, I assumed she was just a regal-looking white unicorn with a light pink mane. But after she turned to introduce her sister, who was hiding behind her, I noticed that she had wings as well as a horn. After an awkward few moments, I noticed that her smaller sister, who had a dark blue coat and a light blue mane, was also in possession of both wings and horn. The white one introduced herself as Celestia and her sister, Luna. They were, in fact, classified as alicorns, but insisted that I think of them as regular ponies. I took her suggestion to heart and did as they wished.

As for what they were interested in exactly, they wanted to know what it was that brought about my change, from what was considered 'normal' for a pony in my former position within the Sun Clan, to what I'd been working on as of late. I told them that I had always known that I had great talent for using magic. It was only when I decided to repair a small broken bowl that I was discovered to have learned magic outside my station. Tainted with lesser magics, they claimed, I was banished. The older sister, I now realize, showed immense interest in my story. The younger, however seemed far more easily distracted and shy, her eyes wandering everywhere but towards myself.

I was told that they wished to support my efforts to bring forth the spread of magic. They believed that It was one of the many ways which might move Ponykind towards the future. I agreed with their sentiment, but only If they would assist me in finding Frigid's sister. They promised to do what they could, and left on amiable terms. As they were leaving, Luna turned to me and made a comment about how "I wasn't like the others." Just what she was referring to, I have no idea. Regardless, the meeting with those two made for an interesting day.

Probably the first time I've run into a mythical creature and survived with my cloak intact at any rate. That's a good sign.

~~----------------~~

Twilight put down her quill. Spike had just entered the room carrying a recently received message addressed to her from Princess Luna. Twilight had asked for her help in discovering if the dates on the sheet that Pinkie had found had any significance in history. The letter only seemed to raise more questions, however.

Dearest Twilight,

Concerning the list you supplied, We can only say that we do not know of any events of interest that may have occurred on those days. Against your wishes, I have also asked my sister what her thoughts were on the subject, and she agrees with my assessment. Not to worry, I have ensured that she does not know that this query originated from you.

Upon closer examination, we do not believe these to be dates that Starswirl might have found of interest during his time, as several of those listed would have taken place well after his disappearance. We have confirmed this with the Royal Archives. There is nothing ordinary about this document, Twilight Sparkle, and we believe that whatever significance it held may very well be as lost as Starswirl himself.

Pleasant nights,

Princess Luna

Twilight was unsure what to do next. The mystery of the list was constantly nagging at her mind. Why was the parchment hidden within the bindings of Starswirl's journal. especially if it was just a random list of dates that Starswirl himself wouldn't have even been around for? She pulled her copy of the list from the the drawer of her writing table and looked upon it once more. She had done this at least once a day since it was discovered, as if to divine its secrets by simply staring at it.

Nothing new ever seemed to be forthcoming.

3/16/17, 1/6/3, 2/15/14
4/19/5, 1/14/10, 4/14/19, 1/18/3, 4/17/8
4/12/1, 1/2/1
1/16/7, 3/1/3, 4/15/12, 1/14/12, 2/13/1
1/7/1, 4/15/13, 4/8/4, 1/16/10, 1/17/2
3/1/1, 3/17/4, 2/15/14, 3/1/3
1/11/1, 3/1/3, 4/15/12, 2/9/7, 4/19/8, 2/14/12, 3/18/18, 2/14/9, 1/9/6, 4/15/9, 1/11/3
1/11/1, 2/15/14, 3/1/3, 3/12/4, 2/16/17, 3/16/15, 4/18/7, 3/18/18
4/15/2, 4/14/8, 2/15/14, 2/12/5, 3/16/17, 2/12/9, 1/14/10, 2/10/11, 3/16/3, 4/17/8

"If they aren't dates then what are they?" Twilight asked nopony in particular. She was just about to put the sheet away when she noticed a new pattern emerge on the page. Several of the dates repeated, that much she already knew, but now Twilight noticed that a few of the sets repeated their order as well. That could only mean that each of the sets must represent something in particular, a pattern of sorts, and if she could find out what each of the sets represented then, she hoped, the sets would form something with more meaning. A message.

Now she just needed to find out where Starswirl could have hidden the meaning of the sets, and why he felt the need to hide a message within his own private journal.

Author's Note

Thunder Troops: A merc a military group out of Pegasopoli. Will do almost anything for money, won't do anything without it.

Derby: Former mining town run by Earth ponies.

Surprise: Frigid Flurry's sister.

That brings us to the conclusion of the Starswirl the Banished portion of the story in "Observations and Motivations." Starswirl goes on to many more adventures before his the conclusion of the "Observations" series, but they pale in comparison to the events of the final portion of the story, "Observations and Preservations."

Recipe text:

-7 Layer Crystal Casserole-
Ingredients:

1 claw Crushed Opal

1 claw Crushed Garnet

1 claw Crushed Sapphire

1 claw Crushed Amethyst

1 claw Crushed Ruby

1 claw Crushed Emerald

1 claw Crushed Fire Opal

4 claw Obsidian Chips
Directions:

Layer all gems in a stone bowl with the Fire Opal on top and bake until the upper layer starts to melt. Serve warm.
Starswirl's Notes:

Whether this recipe is for a dragon or a diamond dog I'll never know. To be honest, I think it was originally some sort of joke to see who could make something out the most random assortment of elements. Where would one even find an oven powerful enough to melt Fire Opal anyway? Regardless, replacing all of the rocks with otherwise more palatable substitutes seems to work out all right. I think I'll serve it in a crystal dish in order to continue whatever joke is being played.

-Cold Candy Cider-
Ingredients:

3 basket Sweet Apples

1 basket Tart Apples

2 cups hot Cinnamon Candies

1 Orange

1 Lemon

1/4 cup Maple Syrup
Also need:

Silk Bag
Directions:

Gather together all apples and crush them, sifting out pulp before adding the juice to a large pot. Crush the Candies until a fine powder remains and place them in the silk bag. Thinly slice the orange and lemon before adding them to the bag as well. Seal up bag and add it to the pot. Heat until almost boiling and then stir in syrup. Remove from heat and chill before serving. Pour into warmed stone mugs.
Starswirl's Notes:

A seasonal beverage commonly found in most Earth pony establishments. Just make sure that you do not, and I repeat, do not let this sit around too long before serving. It tends to ferment quite quickly for some reason. An intoxicated unicorn is a danger to any structure that one wishes to remain standing.