New Mentors, New Lessons

Chapter 4

She probably would've slept the rest of the day away had it not been for the soft ray of light piercing through one of the windows in her room. With the curtain open just enough, this ray could slink in and blast the unsuspecting and still sleeping alicorn directly in the face. At first she was able to just ignore it, but after just a few seconds of a direct blast it was quickly able to pull her from dream land. Not only was the heat from the ray intense, but the brightness seemed to add to it. Right away she rolled over onto her left side, which helped, but the relief was short-lived as the ray had done what it had intended on doing. With a yawn, the lavender alicorn pulled herself up in her bed rubbing her eyes with her hooves at first. It didn't seem to take all that long for her eyes to adjust to the brightness of the room, considering most of the curtains were closed for the time being. Her horn quickly lit up, closing the cause of her awakening. With the incriminating curtain closed she could relax a tiny bit. That was, until her mind began to register her surroundings.

Even with the curtains closed she could clearly see what was in the room, but with her current level of grogginess it took a few minutes for her surroundings to even register. Once she was able to register them however, her wings shot out immediately, as if in excitement. With how fast they shot out, a 'fwoomph' sound could be made out. Along with her wings, her eyes also grew wide as they trailed over the seemingly endless rows of bookshelves. Where was she? In the Canterlot Archives? No that couldn't be it. Why would she be in there? It was as her eyes were trailing over the shelves that she truly began to take notice of everything. First it was the tomes that tipped her off, the bindings and hard covers of them were...terribly worn, as if they had been through quite a bit. As if it wasn't enough for her, she took a second note about some of the scrolls that were so very neatly stacked on the shelves, the parchment looked old, as if they had withered quite a bit as well. What did these tomes and scrolls mean to the princess, aside from new reading material? She didn't quite know yet, especially given she had just woken up.

While Twilight was still in a daze, a knock came to the door followed by the sound of a voice. “Are you awake, Twilight?” It was Silver's, it was a relief too to hear a familiar voice with her new surroundings. As if on instinct her horn lit up briefly, causing the doors to swing open just enough to indicate he was welcomed inside. Upon his entry a snicker could be faintly heard from him as if he had been expecting to see the present look on the lavender unicorn's face. It wasn't JUST this that made him laugh however, even though with her eyes as wide as they were and her mouth slightly agape, what really sold it for him was the fact her wings were fully extended while her eyes gazed around the room. This was the reaction he had hoped for, the one he would've paid to see. To him, it could be described as one word. Priceless.

Soon after he stepped in however, the scent of something very sweet wafted by Twilight's nostrils. The delectable scent made her stomach growl rather loudly which caused her attention to shift over to the stallion now approaching her bed. It was only when her eyes met with the approaching stallion's did something else occur, a sensation, a feeling she had never felt before in her life washed over her. It wasn't a positive sensation like last night's, but something far...more painful. What she saw only seemed to last a brief instance, but it seemed to hit home with her relatively hard. Something in the back of his eyes, buried deep within, she had caught a glimpse of it. His eyes couldn't hide it, nor could the strange, barely visible glow around him. That is, if you could call something that black a glow. Never in her life had she felt something so empty...something so broken. How was it this alicorn was still in one piece?

“Twilight?” Silver called out, as he pushed the tray to the side of her bed. This proved to snap her right out of the trance she appeared to be in, even though it left her with an abundance of new questions. Right away she wanted to ask them, in hopes she could possibly help him. Before she could though, the strong scent of the food returned to her, passing right by her nostrils. Slowly, her eyes shifted down, their gaze locking onto what was on the plate before her and it was enough to make her drool, in fact, it actually did. Which seemed to bring the stallion even more amusement. “Unbecoming of a princess to drool.” he remarked, laughing softly again. Twilight didn't seem to care at his remark however, as her eyes had already locked onto what rested on her plate. Pancakes, sweet, sweet pancakes. It had been quite a while since she had them. Even better though, they were blueberry too! She loved blueberry pancakes, they had been her all time favorite breakfast meal since as far back as she could remember. On top of that, they also had raspberry syrup! This was going to be a great morning for her, she could already tell just by the breakfast. Without a second thought, her horn lit up again, taking ahold of one of them, wrapping it up in a tortilla shape as if it was a burrito, before taking her first bite.

That first bite was met with a rush of flavor she had never experienced before. In it not only could she taste the baked batter of the pancakes, but with it, the sweet and savory flavor of the blueberries. It seemed a bit overwhelming as the flavor flowed through every corner of her mouth. It wasn't until the taste of the raspberry syrup struck her that everything seemed to change. In a moment her mind was swimming in sweet bliss. She had never tasted something this delicious before in her life and yet, she had eaten blueberry pancakes with raspberry syrup before. What was it about this time that was different? She didn't care at this point, as the intense burst of flavor seemed to only increase her appetite.

The look in her eyes, the ravenous gaze in Twilight's violet eyes was one Silver had seen before, it was the look he often saw in the eyes of other alicorns when they had eaten something they enjoyed. It was also the look Celestia's eyes seemed to get every time she saw a slice of cake, it only seemed to make him chuckle very softly again as she woofed down each of the flapjacks. It was almost scary as he watched on, how voraciously she would attack them. 'I hope Celestia knows what she's doing...' he thought as he watched her continue to eat. As he continued to observe, his eyes began to wander, first over the body of the young alicorn, then over the bedsheets and finally throughout the room. It wasn't until his eyes locked onto the clock did something snap in him. The analog clock read very clearly: seven-thirty, which only made his eyes widen. Instead of panicking and rushing out of the room, he instead took a very deep breath.

“If you'll excuse me, Twilight. I have a meeting to get to about my next job.” She hardly took notice of these words however as he trotted from the room and back into the hallway. Like usual it had been quite empty, especially in the mornings, but unlike his usual mannerisms, his pace was quickened considering the fact he was a few minutes late having recalled that the princess had requested that he come in at seven fifteen. Upon his arrival at the door to the solar princess' room he gave a very soft knock.

“Come in.” a calm voice called back in response and he complied with the request, entering the room. It was well furnished, the walls painted the color of flame instead of the color most would assume—pink. Out of the corner of his eye as he entered, he took notice of the magnificent bird that sat atop a perch, one that seemed to just be waking up as he entered, giving him a proper greeting having been accustomed to seeing the other alicorn. He nodded in response to her, as if using it as a form of greeting, before his attention once again shifted. She sat upon the balcony, one that seemed to overlook the eastern district of Canterlot.

“Good morning, Celestia.” he greeted, trotting right up to her side. She didn't even seem to shift her gaze over to him at all, her eyes just remaining focused on Canterlot and the outlying land surrounding it. His eyes remained trained on her however, taking note of the slight differences than what she usually had. She lacked her crown for one, along with that she also lacked her gorget. In place of her crown however, she wore a simple sweatband around her head which he figured was for the laps she had to jog in less than a half hour.

“Good morning, Silver.” Came her reply, a smile slowly spreading across her face. Her horn briefly lit up here, and the door to her room shut before she turned her focus onto Silver.

“If I might ask...why is it you called me here this morning?” This was a good question and often the type she enjoyed answering too. There was a brief period of silence between them before she raised a hoof, gesturing it to the city as if pointing at something.

“Look out there...” she began, her eyes never even leaving whatever she had been gazing at. “What do you see, Silver?” This seemed to puzzle the stallion at first, but he had grown accustomed to things like this since he had first met the princess. His attention shifted, his eyes gazing out in the direction she had gestured to. As he looked on, a smile began to spread across his face. At first he saw the buildings of Canterlot, but his eyes gradually looked deeper, searching for a much greater and more significant meaning to it. He saw ponies trotting along the streets, some conversing with one another, others making deals. From here he looked even further beyond, his focus shifting from Canterlot to the fields and forests past it. After nearly five minutes of complete silence between them he turned back to her.

“The land of Equestria and its citizens.” he replied simply, earning a nod from the princess. Celestia never seemed to stop smiling even for a moment as she sat beside the stallion, before finally turning to him.

“Anything else?” This is where he was left utterly stumped, it was enough to actually make him briefly turn back to Canterlot, his smile only vanishing for a brief moment before he finally caught on to what she was asking.

“Our homes as well, happiness and peace.” Celestia's smile widened when she heard this. It brought her joy to know just how perceptive Silver really was.

“If you are really seeing this, then your eyes are very sharp, Silver.” she began, her gaze shifting from the stallion, back onto Canterlot. However this time they seemed to lock onto the city's central square. Here it was overflowing with activity and life, ponies going in every direction. Some to take care of business, some heading off to make an appointment or just simply enjoying another day. Even though to the two of them, they would appear to be more along the lines of ants running around on a forest floor. It was clear though from the sudden shift on her face that she cared deeply for every single one of them. “Because its also what I see....I see friends meeting with each other, ponies falling in love at the exact moment...couples out with their foals just enjoying the day...I even see ponies who argue with each other fiercely over the most trivial of things, perhaps even some important points too....I also see relationships of all kinds...new ones being forged, old ones deepening or being repaired...some...even breaking. I see life itself out there, Silver.” she grew silent for simply a moment, slowly closing her eyes. “Life I have sworn to protect until time itself ends. However, I also see something else...” The stallion listened very closely as she spoke, every single word. What caught his attention the most however was what she had said at the end, it caused his ears to perk up. What else could she see?

His head tilted slightly to the side, the smile he once held on his face having vanished. “What else do you see?” he inquired with great curiosity.

“Death.” she stated, her voice growing dark. “I see death, Silver....Endless streams of blood, drowning the very ponies in which its veins used to run through...Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, and King Sombra...All of them threatened peace and harmony in their own way. As one of the rulers of Equestria, it falls on me to protect my beloved subjects...” While it was harsh, it was also very true. It was a reality that both of them had realized. What came next however was really a shock. “Yet...I was powerless each time they needed me the most. All of these threats were defeated by Twilight Sparkle and her friends. She is the true defender of these ponies down there.” Once again, Celestia gestured her hoof to the ponies galloping about the central square. Not only her eyes, but her voice seemed to hold a bit of sadness along with the love she felt toward her subjects. “I may rule this land, but I am now unable to defend it should the time come...And that is why I have summoned you here today.” When he heard this, a part of him knew immediately what it meant for him. He swallowed, preparing himself for what was coming next as Celestia's gaze returned to the alicorn stallion, this time facing him directly in the eyes. A sense of seriousness seemed to radiate from them, one that had rarely ever been seen before. “You know more about magic than any other pony alive. Probably even more than I do...That is why I want you to take Twilight under your wing and teach her everything you know about magic.” This didn't come as too much of a shock to him when he heard it, as he had figured it might come to this. “But not just regular magic though...her powers as an alicorn as well. I doubt she has discovered any of them yet, but its only a matter of time. As of now...I am unable to provide the guidance she'll need for the future...but you can.”

Silver's eyes seemed to grow slightly wider as the realization dawned on him. He was being entrusted to teach Celestia's student. To say the least, out of all the ponies possible, why would she give this job to him? His ears lowered a moment to think. Should he object to this decision? It was an excellent opportunity though. Especially to teach not only spells and magics that had been lost to the ages, but also spells he had written and designed himself. Compared to other alicorns though, while he had the knowledge, he couldn't use a fair amount of it. Even some unicorns trumped him in terms of magical potential. “Even though I know the magics...and how to perform them.” he began, “It doesn't mean I CAN perform them.” He inhaled deeply, his voice holding back a bit of frustration. “And you know very well just how tough of a teacher I can be. I mean, its in the records at your school...so I have to ask....Why would you choose me, knowing all these facts? Regardless of the knowledge I have.” Celestia seemed to giggle softly upon this question.

“You ARE a good teacher, Silver. No matter your history in my school. To be honest though, Twilight found out the majority of her knowledge herself. Even though I was officially her mentor, there were times when I couldn't answer any of her questions in the time she came up with them. And some of these went way over my head too. Can you believe that? A small filly outsmarting an old alicorn like me?” Now it was Silver's turn to laugh quietly upon hearing the age remark, which sparked the solar princess to jab him in the stomach with her hoof. “Well...that's Twilight for you, as soon as she finds out about her new powers she'll be needing a teacher to show her how to use them...and as much as I'd love to teach them to her myself...I can't simply make the time to teach her properly...it'd take days alone just to teach her how to activate her alicorn magic, and even longer to show her the basics of how to bend it to her will.” she sighed, hanging her head a little lower, before shaking it. “I...just can't make it happen...” Finally, she turned to face him again, her magenta eyes gazing right at him. It was true too, considering how everything stood at the present moment she couldn't really sacrifice any time. Especially given how much of a slave driver Luna had been over the past couple of weeks in terms of her diet and that was the LEAST of the problems. “But you on the other hoof...” As she trailed off, he closed his eyes entering a state of deep thought. In his mind he weighed the pros and cons of undertaking such a task, at the same time he was also eager to teach again and perhaps this time the student would be able to actually perform the spells and LEARN from him. He already knew from his previous analysis that Twilight was indeed a very talented and intelligent pony, especially when it came to magic. The question came though: how would he go about it?

When he finally reopened his eyes, the look in them had changed. It was as if something had awakened deep within him, something once thought to be lost, it was a certain passion that he once had for life, this seemed to create a chain reaction with his appearance, his mane seemed to gain a bit more luster than it had before, shimmering in the early morning sunlight like never before. A smile spread across his face, one of unbridled joy and determination. This look in his eyes though, it was one she had only seen one other time and it was back when she thought he had been just another unicorn working at her school. Did this mean what she thought it meant? “I understand...and....” he paused, she knew what was coming next here, it was painful as she waited for his answer, almost to the point where she had begun to tap her hoof on the stone of the balcony. “...I accept this task.” Inwardly, Celestia wanted to cheer for this, but, she was able to withhold her enthusiasm as it appeared he had something else to say. “However, I request that, regardless of my teaching methods...you keep your distance. During the lessons anyhow, but you may help her when she approaches you regarding something.”

Celestia laughed softly, covering her mouth slightly. “Of course. She is still 'my' student after all. How could I ever turn her down when she needs my help? And I highly doubt that you are in the position to tell me to stay away from somepony in my own castle....unless of course, it's for the duty of what these lessons clearly are. As for your methods....well, you know how I truly feel about her, so lets just hope you'll be prepared for a journey to the moon should you put her in more danger than what she has to be in. Hehe.” Silver couldn't help but chuckle very softly.

“I wouldn't think of it...plus, would you really want tos end the brother of your sister's stallion to the moon?” he inquired deviously, a smirk spreading on his face. “I will say this though, only because I DID hear of the situation involving her entrance exam...those who are unprepared and walk into danger, might actually have more harm done to them, including you. Its for YOUR safety.” It was very true too. While Silver could only speculate just how bad it could get, if she lost control, given how last time she had nearly destroyed the school.

Another nod came from the solar princess. “That was just an outburst of raw unicorn magic. Nothing I couldn't handle....but honestly, I don't think I'd be able to, I may think of her as my own daughter, but I don't think I'd ever be able to face Twilight Velvet, her real mother, should something happen to her because of something I could have prevented.” The stallion's smirk vanished in an instant, almost as if he knew what he was doing right away.

“Which is why...during the major lessons, where I teach her certain spells....I will take her to a place of seclusion, away from anypony that her magic could possibly hurt.” he stated, confident in his abilities. “While I set up my lesson plans however, I'm going to have to teach her the basics of being an alicorn...both the good and bad.” Celestia knew full well what this meant, Twilight's reactions might not be that pretty at first when the reality dawns on her. It was painful to even think about such a thing.

All the solar princess could do was simply nod. “Yes, I wouldn't want it any other way...perhaps teaching her the...darker traits of being an alicorn is even more important than the good ones. Not that I doubt the strength of her character...but, I just don't want temptation to turn her into a second Nightmare Moon.” Blood drained from Silver's face at the mere mentioning of Nightmare Moon, he remembered in detail the fight he had, he still had the scars to prove it too. That Nightmare Moon though wasn't all of Luna's power at the time, yet, it was still enough to make him shudder.

“That....wouldn't be pretty....especially considering just how powerful Twilight is.” he retorted, his body shaking at the thought. “She was a very powerful unicorn...and with alicorn attributes enhancing that, she's even stronger now...It'd be safe to assume that, if she was corrupted, she'd be a far more terrifying threat than the dark version of your sister.” Here, his mind began to wander for a brief moment, with a curious thought in mind. He attempted to put a bit of imagination to what would happen to Twilight if she did in fact become corrupted. It wasn't so much the power he saw though, but her appearance more, and this thought only seemed to make him drool a tiny bit as he envisioned her corrupted form. 'The dark forms are always the sexiest...' he thought, 'Why are the evil ones always so damn attractive?'

His train of thought however was quickly cut off by Celestia's speaking again. “Exactly. And keep in mind that she is also one of the Elements of Harmony, and the most important one too. Should she fall to darkness, it would be gone, and there might not be a way to know if we'd be able to return her to normal like she and her friends did for Luna.” Now this was a thought and a half for Silver, but it seemed to help his situation too as a bit of inspiration struck him.

“That's something I'd have to do a bit of research on....just as a precaution.” he muttered, his gaze shifting away from Celestia briefly before he spoke again. “Better to be safe than sorry...although, she's too good-hearted to actually let that happen....which gives me an idea, in order to prevent it from happening, I'd have to teach her the different classes of magic in the right order.” With his gradually increasing passion, the princess smiled.

“So...you'll accept the task?” She asked for maximum clarity.

He nodded with a smirk on his face. “Gladly.” In the back of his mind he was beginning to formulate what options he had to start with in terms of magic. He first figured he would start with something simple and work his way into the more advanced magics. “But I still intend on performing my duties as an informant...if they're necessary.”

“Of course.” She retorted, at this precise moment the door was pushed open again, standing on the outside was Emerald, whom she took notice of immediately. “Now off with you. I believe you have quite a bit to think about and to prepare.” He nodded, before spotting his brother out of the corner of his own eye, knowing why she was now rushing to actually get him out of her mane. With this, he stood up, giving his wings a brief stretch considering how long they had been folded up. “One last thing though. I want to be informed about everything you teach her and how you plan to do it...I'll stay out of it as I promised, but...I still would like to know.”

Silver grinned as he began to walk to the doorway. Slowly he turned back to the princess with that very same grin. This grin worried her a tiny bit, especially considering who was sending it to her. “Of course....And you know...sometimes it pays to have created your own personalized spellbook.” That was his last remark to Celestia before he trotted by his brother. As he was however, he turned to the unicorn. “Emerald...I need a small favor...”