---[Log 1, Expedition 1]---
My mother is the best at shocking us with things. At first she was like, “Have more tea,” and the next thing you know she’ll say is, “Let’s break into the Canterlot Archives!” What is she planning? I hope she’s joking.
She better be.
---[Sparkle Residence]---
Guess what? She prepared the one thing I was craving for before all of this trouble: Pancakes.
“I’m sorry if it’s all I could prepare,” my mother apologized to Applejack. The farm pony gave a slight nod. She sure was silent about the whole “Break the rules” thing.
I, on the other hand, was trying to keep myself in one piece. How would Princess Celestia react with this!? Will she kick me out my studies?
Trying not to think about it, I started to browse the family book.
I probably won’t be able to see my friends again after this. I’ll be locked up in a dungeon for sure right now.
Concentrate on the book, Twilight.
With each flip of the book, I was amazed in the wonders of my mother’s old work as a magic researcher. Every entry about her was a new spell discovered, improved, or banned. Yes, that was one of the works of a magic researcher: Ban dangerous spells.
But why are we dealing with one right now? The horror on Princess Celestia’s face when she discovers her star pupil is dealing with banned spells. Can’t my life get any better?
“Twilight, are you okay?” mom tried to shake me back into reality. “There are pancakes on the table, in case you haven’t noticed.” She then walked away from Applejack and me and went straight to the kitchen.
It can get better.
------
After finishing the pancakes of my mother, we were all gathered again on the fancy table.
On the fancy table.
The family book was at the center of the table, for all the three of us to see.
All of a sudden, the curtains went down and the lights went out.
There was nothing but darkness.
A faint magenta glow surrounded my mother’s horn, tinting the whole place with dark violet.
“Listen carefully, for you will need this information,” she said with a deep voice.
Sparks came out from her horn, shooting from every direction.
The sparks became random things, ranging from test tubes to tables, until the whole room looked like a laboratory.
Another spasm of spark gave birth to two ponies running around the room, taking notes about a book from the table. One looked like a younger version of my mother, while the other an old brown pony with a white mane and beard. Both were wearing laboratory gowns.
“Whoah nelly!” Applejack screamed, genuinely frightened by the display.
I knew my mother was good at magic, but this is awesome!
“Ho…how are you…doing this?” I could only ask with wonder.
The old pony suddenly passed through me as if I didn’t exist, only to add on my amazement.
“Don’t worry. They’re only holograms created with magic.”
She then walked around the room, passing through the tables and ponies to demonstrate what she meant.
“Oh.” Applejack seemed a bit less frightened.
“This is an event about a research Doctor Foshwerl and I worked on.”
The two hologram ponies got the brown book they were busying about and placed it at the floor. They then removed every nearby object visible.
“The subject is ready, Doctor Foshwerl,” my hologram mother informed the old pony.
“Proceed with the experiment, Miss Twilight,” the hologram Dr. Foshwerl replied.
Then began the fun part. Both their horns started to glow in a specific color: one in magenta and one in green. The book was strangely surrounded by a black aura. It started to float above their heads and opened up. Each letter of the book was changed into another letter. This was done on every letter until what was left was the title of the book, with the name of Aeftrot Foshwerl. Mother began to give a stronger blast of energy, changing “Aeftrot Foshwerl” into “The Art of Flowers” which totally freaked Applejack and me out.
“It’s a success!” hologram freaky old pony yelled.
Then everything disappeared with a poof. The curtains were pulled up and the lights returned to normal.
“Ah!” I screamed, my eyes still unrecovered by the sudden change of light.
------
Minutes after the lights display, mom told us to gather around her.
“Twilight, what was my work?” she asked me. Yes, a question-and-answer segment. Just what I wanted.
“A magic researcher.”
She gave out a hearty laugh, as if she was some old and knowledgeable wizard.
“How about you, Applejack?”
She was startled by the question.
“Uh, a fancy magician?”
A fancy magician. Obviously.
“This information,” mom started as she slammed the table with her hooves. “Is only given to you because I think…I know this is important for your mission. MY mission.”
Now that she mentions it, why is she even helping us? Does she have a personal agenda?
She started staring at me like a creep.
“Is the book with you?”
“What book?”
“The Art of Flowers.”
Oh yes, that book in the hologram vision. The book that taught me how to plant flowers was actually a spell book that my mother has worked on. All in one day.
I stuffed my saddlebag with my hooves, digging up that brown book. It didn’t feel the same the last time I touched it, considering all of the things I’ve been through.
“Here you go, mom,” I said as I handed her the book.
She levitated it in midair, bringing it near her eyes. The pages of the book flipped as she scanned its contents.
“After all those years,” she mumbled to herself.
Applejack was seated beside me. She constantly looked around the place, anxious for some progress.
Mom let the book rest to the table. Breathing deeply, she tried to calm herself with the situation.
“Years before a Twilight Sparkle was born, I worked as a magic researcher at the University of Canterlot. I also assisted Dr. Foshwerl with his advances in the field of Pseudomagic.”
A long silence covered the whole room.
“Pseudomagic?” I asked with doubt. I am not believing a word she was saying. “You mean impossible magic? Magic unexplained by anypony?”
“By definition, yes. But that didn’t stop him from doing his work. Many were unsuccessful, but some were perfect. And one of those was Time-Delay Magic. It was a kind of inert magic that could be inactive over a period of time.”
She tapped the brown book on the table.
“And this was the result. In this particular project, we were able to change his notebook into a flowering book.”
I again remembered that hologram vision my mother showed us, how “Aeftrot Foshwerl” become “The Art of Flowers.” It still bugs me how I didn’t notice that.
“But can ya explain that spell on mah sister?” Applejack couldn’t wait any longer.
“That was the spell we inserted inside the notebook that could only be triggered with a special action.”
“And that is?”
“Placing the book on water.”
Applejack tried to regain her memories of the book getting wet.
“Is using that book as a boat for cutie mark crusadin’ a reason?”
That serious look on mom’s face wasn’t removed.
“Yes, I believe so.”
The farm pony placed her hooves on her face, murmuring things blaming herself for Applebloom’s demise.
“I will do my best to remove the spell from your sister. We need to retrieve my notes with Dr. Foshwerl at the center of the Canterlot Archives. Princess Celestia won’t like this, but we have no choice. You know dealing with banned spells is a punishable offence. That’s why they’re called “banned.” In those notes contain a counterspell.”
Sweat accumulated on my forehead as I thought of the many possible things Princess Celestia would, no, WILL do to me when she learns of this.
Mother stood up and went to the kitchen. “I’ll be preparing some stuff. Get ready for a trip to the old laboratory.”
“What laboratory?”