//------------------------------// // Chapter XIII. Before the Magic Happens. // Story: Quest for Earth Pony Magic: the Disciple // by IMN //------------------------------// Sun Light sighed happily, he has been working endlessly since his visit to the doctor this morning. “Archiving the research on levitation spell…Check,” He said to the five XXXL cardboard boxes now stored away neatly in his attic. He then teleported downstairs, took the list he was preparing, then recounted all three hundred and fifty-four books neatly pilled down in the entrance, coded with which book going to which library, “Research material set for returning to their respectful places…Check.” He then teleported to his room, now neatly tied up with the bed made, the desk empty, and the sunlight bathing it with all its empty glory, “clean room… Check.” He trotted to the main bathroom, the moment he opened the door, steam greeted him like an old friend, he walked toward the bathtub, tested the water for medium to hot temperature, once he found it to be adequate, he added the exact amount of soap to create the most desired amount of foam, “Bubble bath… Check.” Teleporting to the kitchen, he went to the fridge, took some ice cream from the ice shelf, then teleported upstairs and placed the treat next to the tube, “Calming sugary appetizers… Check.” Teleporting to his room, he picked up a couple of disks from one of his favorite musician, Beethooven. He then teleported back to the gramophone in the corridor, he winded the gramophone, placed the first disk, but was instantly bombarded with the fifth symphony, “Yikes,” Just as quickly he unloaded it and placed another one that turned out to be the moonlight sonata. “Much better,” he exclaimed, “calming music… Check.” He did one final teleportation to the bathroom, straight into the tube of lukewarm water, where he finally indulged in the relaxing environment. But just as his senses began to calm down, thoughts about his research began to surface, then about his charge, then about his other charge. He shook his head, swam to the edge of the tub where a book titled War and Peace was sitting on the corner. Eating a spoonful of ice cream, he picked up the book and opened it at the last place he left off, “this is the life,” he exclaimed as he finally settled down to his reading. But a sudden knock on the front broke his trance. “Must be the delivery pony,” he thought despite expecting him much later during the day. He went out of the bathtub, placed a bathrobe on himself, then teleported to the front door. He opened the door slowly, fully prepared to handle any remark about his current condition. However, his nervousness washed away when he saw a purple filly smiling back at him. “Hi,” Twilight Sparkle greeted. “I heard you were sick, so I came to see if there is anything I can do.” Sun Light looked at Twilight for a moment. “You heard I was what now?” “Doctor Royal Medicine has been going around the castle telling everypony that you are sick and the only way to heal you is to let you relax and not allow you into the castle for a while,” Twilight informed Sun Light before levitating a book from her saddle. “So I thought of coming here and help you relax with this.” Sun Light looked at the book incredulously. “How to relax, a reference guide.” The title was written in a curvy format. “The second chapter talk about tea being a source for relaxation in the Far East. So I bought my own blend for a tea drinking ceremony," Twilight said cheerfully. “Uh huh,” Sun Light deadpanned. “Look, Twilight, I appreciate the gesture, really. But I am in the middle of doing chapter four of this book and I’d appreciate a little peace and quiet.” Twilight stared at Sun Light shocked, “But,” Twilight first reacted restlessly, “I even brought my own blend,” she told him with a saddened tone while pouting at him with her secretly trained, Cadence hand-me-down, puppy-dog eyes. Sun Light took one quick look before letting out a yell of frustration. “Fine, come in,” he said clearing a path for Twilight to hop happily inside. “Wow, this place is huge!” She exclaimed as Sun Light closed the door behind her. “This tapestry is beautiful, and these swords look really old.” Sun Light chuckled at her reaction. “The tapestries come from a friend of the family, they are quite new I assure you, and these swords are fake. Moon Chaser likes to collect them because she is such a weapon’s freak.” “Moon Chaser?” Twilight asked. “My older sister, she got admitted to the royal guard academy this year.” Twilight immediately cheered at that info. “My brother goes to the same academy!” she exclaimed, glee in her eyes. “Do you think they are friends there?” Shining Armor bumped into a hard wall, the moment he looked up he saw the worst nightmare in boot camp. “Any last words feather-hooves?” the ominous voice of Moon Chaser echoed in the empty hall. “Mercy?” Shining asked pleadingly. Moon Chaser smiled warmly at Shining Armor, causing him to ease a little, “No,” she deadpanned. A loud girlish scream resonated throughout the boot camp. “I think they are doing fine, Moony is a lot more approachable than I am,” Sun Light grinned at the thought of his sister making friends. An awkward moment of pause passed between the two friends, “So…” Twilight trailed, “Where is your kitchen?” “Oh, right, the tea,” Sun Light pointed to the corridor on his left, “Down this hall, first door on your left, you won’t miss it. I’ll meet up with you after I wear something more suitable.” “Thanks, I’ll go prepare the tea,” Twilight said as she waved at Sun Light who waved at her in return. The moment Twilight was out of view, Sun Light teleported to the bathroom. He looked at the mirror and noticed his face being red as a tomato. “I need to stop blushing every time she acts awkward like that,” He said to himself when another knock on the door broke his self-contemplation. He peaked from the bathroom to better hear what’s going on when Twilight yelled, “I’ll get it!” There was a click, then she opened the door. “Cadie!” she exclaimed. Sun Light listened in horror as Cadence was admitted into the house with a “Twily!” He gagged as they did their ladybug dance. “What are you doing here?” Twilight finally asked. “I’m here to check up on little Sunny, Doctor Medicine told me he isn’t doing too good and needs to relax.” She then added ominously, “And I know exactly how to make him relax.” Sun Light uttered a word he was forbidden to use when Twilight asked innocently, “How?” “Yoga!” Cadence replied. Sun Light repeated the word he was forbidden to use when Cadence asked Twilight, “So where is the little menace?” “Upstairs changing into something more presentable,” Twilight replied, completely oblivious to what was about to happen. “Is that so?" Cadence turned toward the stairs then yelled, "Sun Light, you can come down now, I know you were spying on us this whole time.” Sun Light scoffed, on the first hoof, he could act like a jerk and tell them all to leave him alone, or he could act like a jerk and have fun at the expense of Cadence. Tough choice. He chose the latter. “Well if it isn’t the princess of Love gracing us with her presence,” he yelled from upstairs, as he removed his bathrobe and threw it on the ground. “I haven’t seen you in a while, what’s up?” He walked toward the top of the stairs. Cadence watched in horror as Sun Light came to them nude and furless. She immediately covered Twilight’s eyes with the latter protesting with an irate ‘hey’. “Put some clothes on, you’re completely exposed!” she exclaimed. “News flash, Cadence, we are always nude,” he quipped, pointing at her own lack of garment. “It’s not a news flash, it’s you trying to flash us!” she replied sternly. “What is it that you are trying to do exactly? Ruin the innocence of the foals I sit?” “You hear that Twilight, your innocence is in jeopardy, guess tea can wait another time,” he walked toward the door, “I’ll see you all in a week,” he opened the door, “Bye,” and stood there. “Hey,” Twilight protested loudly, “I already saw him naked before, and besides,” she turned toward Cadence then said to her horror, “It’s only Anatomy,” then pointed a hoof at Sun Light, “And you aren’t going out of this tea party this easily.” “Fine,” Sun Light conceded, “What about you Candy butt?” Cadence bit her lower lip. “Just close the door so that no one might see you,” She stood between Twilight and Sun Light making sure that Twilight will never see this debauchery in front of her. “Twily will you please run as fast as you can to the kitchen and prepare some tea?” “You really don’t want me to see him, don’t you?” Twilight deadpanned. “Just do this,” Cadence pleaded. “For me?” “Fine,” Twilight let out in exasperation. “I won’t look.” “Good.” Cadence lifted her hooves from Twilight’s eyes, then shoved her gently toward the kitchen. “I’m looking forward to drinking your special blend.” Cadence watched as Twilight marched to the kitchen mumbling how she’s old enough to see a colt in the nude. She turned toward Sun Light again to see him sitting on his haunches, door closed, hooves crossed, a grin plastered all over his face. “I know you’re not here for yoga,” he said dubiously. “If your sister sees you like this, she is going to kill me!” Cadence answered agitatedly. “Not my problem you didn’t keep your end of the bargain,” Sun Light shrugged, only to receive a hoof to the head. “I care for you, you dolt, never question that,” Cadence answered sternly. “Then where were you these past three weeks, huh?” Sun Light replied defensively, “Two foals you claim to care so much nearly ended at each other’s throats, both having tons of issues to deal with and you are nowhere to be found, we ended up seeing you thrice these past two weeks, and two of them were by coincidence.” “Trust me, Sunny, you don’t want to hear about my filly problems no more than I want to hear of your teleportation problem.” “And that is why we hate each other.” Sun Light rubbed his template. “if you are done playing the surrogate sister please leave. If nothing else, I am looking forward to the tea party Twilight is preparing and having you here isn’t making me any more relaxed.” “What happened between you and Blueblood?” Cadence knew that if she doesn’t jump to the main subject, he will dance around it till she left. “You think that is the reason why I can’t grow my fur back?” Sun Light jeered. “You don’t get it, do you? For somepony to be stressed to the degree of losing his fur doesn’t mean he has one big problem that takes all his time, it means he has an entire host of problems that he is ignoring for the sake of one problem.” “And what makes you think I have a problem in the first place?” Cadence simply pointed at the stacks of books next to them. “Do I need a bigger evidence?” she asked, Sun Light looked abashed. “I wasn’t here for a while now, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being a lousy sitter, Sun Light. But I am here now, so please, talk to me.” “There is nothing to talk about,” Sun Light remained adamant. Only to have Cadence yell “ENNNN; wrong answer,” in his ear. Sun Light glared menacingly at Cadence. “Your dad gave Blueblood quite a colorful threat with the full consent of Prime Minister Prince Trueblood because of what happened between you two.” Sun Light didn’t answer right away, he probably has guessed that his dad will take it into extreme, he now was questioning whether telling Evening Star what happened was such a good idea in the first place. “So you do know everything that happened,” he stated. “Of course I do.” Cadence stomped her hoof. “Blueblood came to my room last night and told me everything.” “And I am guessing you are here to bestow upon me your wisdom in lovedom where butterflies give you kisses and rabbits poop chocolate, am I correct?” Sun Light said sarcastically with a smirk knowing where he got that line. Cadence glared at him furiously, The little twat read my journals! She thought. “I didn’t even have my cutiemark when I wrote that!” But when Sun Light rolled his eyes at her, she let out an exasperated sigh, it’s useless to negotiate with him! She cursed to herself. “Just forgive him already Sun Light and be done with it!” Sun Light thought for a moment. “Forget it,” he scorned. “Why?” Cadence asked forcibly. “He threatened excessive violence against my person!” Sun Light spoke firmly and loudly. “And he is sorry for that, can’t you show some sympathy for the guy?” “Why? He never did anything to earn it.” “Really? Is that what you think?” Cadence sat next to Sun Light, “Not only did you ruin what was possibly the best day of his life, you criticized his entry on the Craig list rather harshly.” “Well now, isn’t this just peachy!” Sun Light puffed with irritation, “Have you read his entry? Forget about bad grammar and worst vocabulary that is more vulgar than talking to Sailor ponies. There was no plot. There were no twists. There wasn’t even a story, to begin with! That was, and still is, a poorly written descriptive essay of an erotic scene that will never happen.” “You could have used kinder words to describe it you know,” Cadence scolded, “I mean you just cost the colt his date, and blew the cover about his sexuality, claiming that what he wrote was the worst thing ever was just rubbing salt on his wound.” “And everything worked out great for him in the end,” Sun Light waved his hoof dismissively, “His old colt friend was planning on conning him out of his money so ruining that date was a blessing in disguise, his mother is now introducing him with the local playcolts, and his writing is improving albeit at a snail pace. And do you know what I got? The worst conversation of my life and a threat to defile my bottom.” “So it’s compensation you want?” Cadence was happy to have reached, she immediately started to formulate what types of compensations Sun Light might propose. But her dreams were cut short when Sun Light simply shook his head, “I don’t want anything from him except him leaving me alone.” “But Whyyyy?” Cadence whined. “How many times do I have to say it? He threatened me!” Sun Light was losing his patience, he contemplated on whether teleporting Cadence out of his home was out of the question, but then again, he never learned how to teleport objects beside himself away. “And I don’t take kindly to threats.” “Can’t you just forgive him now and completely ignore him afterward?” Cadence proposed. “Then what’s the point of forgiving him if I am going to end up not forgiving him in the end?” “Because it’s the grown-up thing to do and because you have to do it.” “But it doesn’t make any sense!” “It doesn’t need to make sense for it to be the right thing!” “You know, you two talk very loudly.” Twilight suddenly interjected causing both ponies to jump in surprise. Cadence glared at Twilight then at Sun Light, then tried to cover him with her hoof. “Twilight!” she exclaimed a few octaves higher than usual. “What brings you here?” “I came to see what was all the yelling about,” Twilight stated calmly. “tea’s finished by the way.” “How much did you hear?” Sun Light asked sheepishly. “Let’s start with all of it and go from there,” Twilight answered calmly. Sun Light and Cadence looked at each then at Twilight. “And I feel you have an opinion to share?” Sun Light finally broke. “I don’t know what happened between you and the snobby prince, but I think it’s similar to something that happened between my brother and I. So once upon a time…” “…Oh boy,” Sun Light lamented. “It’s a short one, so shush,” Twilight retorted before continuing, “Once upon a time, Shining Armor and I were playing my favorite toy, Smarty Pants, but he ‘accidently’ tore its eyes off…” “Yikes,” commented Princess Cadance, “No wonder it has buttons for eyes now.” “I know, right!” Twilight exclaimed. “So let me guess,” Sun Light interrupted the fillies, the last thing he wanted was for them to go on a tangent, “you forgave and went to eat candy together and lived happily ever after,” he added sarcastically. “Actually, no,” Twilight deadpanned, “I said I hated him and that I never wanted to play with him again.” “Wow, harsh,” Cadence gave Twilight a sympathetic look. “I know, I thought that by no longer playing with him I’d keep my toys safe, but then I grew bored and lonely, and Shining kept apologizing whenever we sat on the table or met in the hallway, or when tucking me to bed that I felt sorry for him,” Twilight dug deep into her saddle bag, “Then one day, he brought me this,” she pulled out a ragged doll with spotted pants and button for eyes, it was so utterly tattered that it made Sun Light cringe, “He said he tried to fix it but he didn’t know how. I decided to forgive him then, though I never allowed him to play with my toys ever again. And yes we did go for ice-cream later that day.” “And the moral of the story is?” Sun Light arched his invisible eyes brow in impatience. “You don’t forgive others because they deserved it, you forgive them because you want them in your life,” Twilight concluded with a broad smile. “Uhuh,” Sun Light nodded in accordance, though seemingly unconvinced. “Well, that’s something to think about.” He turned toward the door. “Glad the both of you came to a visit. I really appreciate your concerns for me. Now, I need to muse over this new information. Alone.” Twilight and Cadence stared at him. “Soaked in my bubble bath.” Seemingly unable to take the hint. “For me to relax.” he opened the door. “So goodbye.” “And here I was just about to knock on your door,” came the voice of Prince Blueblood who was standing on the porch. “Thank you for opening it Sun Light, may I come in?”