The following statement my shock and disturb some ponies. Reader discretion is advised.
Humans do not have magic.
I know: shocking. Humans lack the internal systems necessary for controlling the magic of the world around them. Everything humans know about magic places it firmly in the realm of fiction and mythology. I still remember the feeling of awe from the first time I managed to lift something in my telekinetic field. I was so excited that I wore myself out trying to lift everything I could find: books, old toys, my best friend. Nothing was off limits - until I passed out from magical exhaustion. I’m sure there’s a picture of that somewhere.
As with the description of the technology of my people earlier in this book, ponies take their magic for granted. As someone who lived twenty-four years without it, I decided to learn as much as I possibly could on the subject. In my studies of pony magic, I have found what I consider five distinct forms of magic: unicorn, pegasus, earth, alicorn, and wild. Additionally, each of these forms have countless branches leading to an almost dizzying array of ways that magic can affect the environment.
I will admit that I am very biased toward pony magic over other species, and among ponies I know the most about unicorns - mostly because I am one. This chapter is not meant to be a guide to all things magical. Rather, it is merely meant to prepare humans who are unused to magic for a world filled to bursting with it. Any who wish to for more detailed information can see the reference section at the back of the book.
The forms of magic accessible by ponies are channelled differently between the subspecies. Unicorns have the most visible of magics, as it is willed through their horns. When a unicorn wishes to shape their own magical field into a spell, it is done primarily by willing the magic into a shape or pattern. This gives unicorns a great deal of flexibility when it comes to spell casting, allowing for what humans would understand as a spell.
Sadly, not every unicorn is a master wizard. Despite the flexibility available, most unicorns are limited by their Cutie Marks. The Cutie Mark greatly increases the strength of a pony’s magic - when they act accordingly. This means that if a unicorn had a Mark for pyromancy, then anything that related to fire in any way would be easier for them to cast. However, if that pony was asked to condense the water vapor in the air into a drinkable form, it would be incredibly difficult for them to do so.
In contrast, pegasi have the loudest magic of your average pony. If unicorns will magic into shape, then pegasi force magic to react to their actions. An old saying here is that unicorns think while pegasi act. Pegasus magic also tends to focus on four domains: air, flight, electricity, and light. To cast, pegasi channel the magic from their wings out through the rest of the body before spreading it into the world around them. Pegasus magic is also easier to work when multiple ponies are channelling together. A single, powerful pegasus could create a small tornado or engineer a thunderstorm, while a team of weak pegasi could make a hurricane. There is power in teamwork.
A question I know some humans - and maybe a few pegasi - might be considering is “what happens if a pegasus loses a one or even both wings?” Well, it’s similar to what happens to a unicorn with a broken or destroyed horn: part or all of their ability to cast is gone. For pegasi, this means that true flight is impossible as they would be unable to conjure a large enough field to aid in their flight. Should they be surrounded by other pegasi in the air, then some flight may occur - though not for long, and most of their power would be used for gliding back to the ground. Light, air, and electrical magic would still be possible, but as with flight they would be severely hampered.
Pegasi tend to be proud of their ability to fly, regardless of their Cutie Marks. Should you ever encounter a one-winged pegasus, I advise that you do not stare, you do not ask about it, and you do not bring attention to it.
While it’s easy to see the magical workings of unicorns and pegasi, the magic of earth ponies appears far more subdued. But, as Star Swirl the Bearded once said, "Do not meddle in the affairs of Earth ponies, for they are subtle and quick to anger." This subtlety does not make them any weaker magically than the other two. Earth pony magic rests within the ground, the trees, and the rocks. A team of two earth pony farmers can use their magic to nurture the ground in order to create more food than the most modern farms of my home world. An earth pony alchemist can brew a potion that heals injuries in seconds, or increase the drinker's physical abilities temporarily.
They can also brew the best alcohol in any world. This is a fact and I will gladly defend the honor of their brews against any who deny it.
In many ways, though, earth pony magic is the magic of life itself. They draw in and tame the wild magic more efficiently than any other subspecies. This ability also gives earth ponies increased stamina, strength, and resistance to all external factors. A powerful earth pony can keep working for days, and even weeks, after everypony else has collapsed.
Alicorn magic is its own special breed. There are currently five known alicorns, and of those one is an infant. The other four are the most powerful ponies on the planet. They are our immortal rulers - another thing that my world did not have - and they channel the three pony magics inside of them at a level far beyond any normal pony. With a mere thought, an alicorn can move the moon; with the flap of a wing they cause winds that would require dozens of pegasi to replicate; with a hoof step they could shatter the earth beneath them, or bring a barren landscape back to life. I have met some ponies that consider them gods, and I cannot blame them for their beliefs.
Where their power comes from is not yet fully understood, but my studies lead me to believe that, at the time of their ascension, they resonated so strongly with the wild magic that it changed their fundamental understanding and use of it. Note that this theory meets shaky ground when applied to Flurry Heart - we shall see how the infant princess enlightens the study of magic.
The last category of magic I mentioned is currently debated by Equestrian scholars. There is a, not insignificant, portion who believe that there is no wild magic. Yet no pony cast a spell to bring me here. Wild magic has a will of its own, and there is evidence that it exists all around us. The Everfree Forest near Canterlot is filled with so much magic that it cannot be tamed. Something certainly changed Princess Twilight from an ordinary, if clever, pony into the Princess of Friendship. We live and breathe magic every day of our lives, and it is inside every living and nonliving thing on this planet. It is a force that I believe is out to bring ponies together.
I have to believe that. Why else would it have brought me here?