//------------------------------// // Chapter II: A Magical Greeting. // Story: Quest for Earth Pony Magic: the Disciple // by IMN //------------------------------// “[You must always listen to your superior officer.]” “[Dad, I know.]” “[And respect your fellow cadets.]” “[Dad, I know.]” “[And remember, be smart, not coy.]” “[Dad, stop worrying.]” “[And don’t stop writing to us.]” “[I won’t, Dad.]” “[Even though this isn’t exactly what I wanted for you, I’m still very proud of you.]” “[I know, dad.]” As the final wishes of the father were being given to his daughter, Sun Light kept his gaze low to the ground. In reality, he didn’t want his sister to leave, but he knew that his wishes will only bring her sorrow, and Celestia knows how much sorrow she endured on my behalf, he thought bitterly at the many times she stayed awake when he was sick, or when he entered in fights with the other colts, or… “Hey Sunny. Aren’t you going to tell me goodbye?” Sun Light looked up to his sister who was giving him the warmest smile. “Sorry, I was thinking of the old times.” He replied apologetically. “It’s okay,” she hugged him, then turned toward her father. “Hey, Dad; is it okay if I talked to Sunny in private?” “Okay, I get the hint,” Her father replied flailing his hoof, “I’ll just wait next to the bags,” It was only one bag next to a bunch of weapons. “Thanks,” Moon Chaser pulled her brother closer and walked a bit further away from her father, “I was thinking about the best way you can tell them about your magic, but it requires a lot of work. You in?” “Are you still worried about that?” Sun Light couldn’t hold his surprise. “Aren’t you?” Moon was equally surprised by her brother’s nonchalance toward what he did. “I’m just… I…” “You don’t want me to leave, don’t you,” Moon deadpanned. “Stop reading my mind,” Sun’s cheeks felt on fire. Upon hearing his sister chuckle, he left his gaze trail back to the ground. “Now that you’re gone, I’ll be alone,” Sun let out a sniffle, “I don’t want to be alone.” “Come here,” Moon pulled her brother into a tight hug, “You’re never alone. You just need to find somepony to have fun with while I’m gone. And I’ll be back, I promise,” She wiped a tear from his eyes, “Now I want you to listen carefully, what you’ve got there is something special, but like all things special you need hard work to prove it to everypony else.” Moon Chaser leaned closer to her brother's ear and whispered, “Aim big.” Sun looked up to his sister with a bemused smile. Moon Chaser continued her explanation, “search for the biggest, hardest spell you can find and learn how to do it. Then do in front of everypony.” “Like what you did with that lieutenant?” “Exactly the same, only with magic.” “But I have no idea where to start, what to do, how to do…” Moon stopped her brother’s grievances with a wave of dismissal, “You’ll figure something out.” “But I…” Before he could utter another word, “Listen, you are smart enough to get yourself in and out of everything, and that isn’t just me talking Sun Light. A lot of ponies expect great things from you. So buck up, do your research, and figure it out. The next time I want to hear from you is how you pulled that teleportation trick.” Sun Light looked straight into Moon Chaser’s eyes, puffed up his chest and with new determination he spoke, “I’ll try my hardest.” “Good that’s all I want to hear,” A sudden siren sung through the air, “That’s my cue. No last kiss?” Sun Light stood on his hind hooves and gave his sister a small peck on her cheek. Evening Star came trotting to his daughter’s side, he handed her bag and weapons, and gave her a deep kiss on her frown, “Frontízo, Artemis.” Moon Chaser took her bag and weapons and trotted briskly toward the airship while waving goodbye to her family, “Antío, papa, Helios.” She yelled as she boarded. Sun Light kept waving, even after Moon Chaser boarded, even after the ship started flying, even after the ship was out of sight. He kept waving. “I think it's time to leave,” He heard his father talking to him. Sun Light slowly allowed his hoof to drop then turned to his father, “Where is your leg piece?” Evening suddenly jerked his head to his half hoof, "guess I forgot to wear it." "I don't think I recall seeing you in one since the armory incident," Sun Light pointed out, "Are you sure you forgot it and didn't lose it somewhere?" “Sunny, I am not so careless as to forget where I placed my leg piece,” Evening reaffirmed, “looks like we’ll be taking a cab back,” he said after sighing. "Oh joy," Sun Light raised his hooves sarcastically, "and here I thought I'd be able to enjoy the long walk home. Again." "I may not be able to smack you on the head," Evening waved his stump, "but you deserve a smack on the head." "I'm being punished later," Sun Light pointed out, "at least let me have some derision before my final hour comes." Evening shook his head, "you know, most foals will try to act nice so they get a lighter punishment. Sun Light suddenly stopped, turned toward his father, a sparkle in his eyes as he faked a tear on his cheek, "[will you pwease lighten my punishment daddy?]" "[You look adorable, but no,]" Evening patted his son's head with his stomp, "[nice try though.]" "See, nothing works with you!" Sun Light exclaimed at his father's mirth. Upon arriving at the cab station, the two ponies noticed an immense lack of taxi cabs. “There is one left,” Yelled Sun Light as he trotted as fast as he can, only to bump head first into something at the cab’s door. “Ouch,” He rubbed his head only to notice something moist, “This can’t be good.” Sun Light lifted his paw to see the red liquid dripping from it, “Definitely not good.” “Ack, you’re bleeding,” Suddenly came the voice of filly, before long a small purple hoof was pressing intently on Sun’s head, “Nooo, I’m making it worse,” The filly gasped as blood got on her hooves. “Listen, filly,” Sun Light tried to stand up only to be abruptly and forcefully laid on his back. “Don’t move,” the filly ordered in a rush, “I’ll go get help,” Sun Light noticed the red trail on her horn. Oh great, stupid unicorns and their horns. Sun, however, obeyed the filly’s orders and remained immobile until he could hear her clopping away. A shadow loomed over him, “Are you okay?” the taxi driver asked. “Yeah,” Sun Light stood up, only to notice that there is still blood flowing on his face, “Can I have a mirror and a first aid kit please?” Not a moment later the objects that he requested were present. Sun Light took a closer look only to find that his injury isn’t too severe. Maybe a plaster or two to stop the bleeding, he assessed calmly. He took a piece of cotton, dipped it with an antiseptic, and then carefully started cleaning his wound. Evening Star noticed his son’s predicament while walking closer to check things out, “What happened to you?” “I bumped head with a unicorn,” Sun replied as he finished cleaning his wound. “Need help?” Sun turned his head to his father, “I’m good.” “You sure?” his dad replied after carefully assessing his wound, “It looks like you need stitches.” “Well, there seem to be a severe lack of stitches,” Sun Light pointed out. Shacking his head, Evening took some bandages then with his firm hoof he pressed a thick amount of it on his son’s forehead, “Alright, now roll this behind your head,” He pointed at the remaining pieces, Sun obeyed. After a few turns, Evening Star took the free piece with his mouth and the one over his son’s head with his hoof, then skillfully fastened the dressing together, “There. All done.” “I’m so sorry mister… Evening Star? Is that you?” Both Evening and Sun turned toward the origin of the voice, only to find Night Light, the royal astronomer, standing behind them with a mare and a filly. “Night Light, good to see you again,” Evening Star extended his hoof, which Night Light readily accepted, “Here to see your son off?” “Yeah,” Night Light replied despondently, “I’m surprised you allowed your daughter to leave. You two made such a ruckus over this.” “Well, it’s her dream she is following, who am I to stand in her way?” “They grow up so fast, don’t they?” interrupted suddenly the mare with Night Light before flashing a smile to her husband. “Where are my manners?” Night Light suddenly exclaimed cheerfully, “Twilights, I like you to meet minister Evening Star, minister of defense under her royal’s cabinet. And the rascal behind him is Sun Light, the colt of the castle.” Evening Star straightened his pose before instinctively bowing with his stomp with a “charmed,” while Sun Light simply gave a salute. “Evening, Sunny,” Night Light continued with his introduction, “I’d like you to meet my lovely wife, Twilight Velvet, and my adorable little daughter Twilight Sparkle.” “The pleasure is all mine, minister,” Twilight Velvet mirrored the minister’s greeting. However, Twilight Sparkle hid underneath her mother’s shadow. “Please, no need for formalities, just Evening is fine,” Evening waved his stomp in dismissal. “So heading back to the palace?” Night Light inquired. “Yeah, usually I’d walk, but in our rush to get here, I forgot to wear my leg piece.” “More like, misplaced,” Sun Light corrected his father. “You don’t know that for sure,” Evening defended his position. “Oh trust me, I know,” Sun Light gave his father a mischievous smile. Back in the palace, Kibitz noticed something hiding behind Celestia’s throne, “Princess, why is Minister Star’s leg piece behind your throne?” “Let it be, I have a special package I’m supposed to put into it,” Princess Celestia informed her secretary. “Anyway,” Evening Star rolled his eyes at his son, “it’d be tiring to walk all the way to the palace now, so we thought we’ll take a cab.” “Well, what a coincidence! We’re going to the palace as well. Care to share a cab?” “Sure, why not?” Replied content Evening Star, “But I’m paying.” “No, no, I’m paying, I insist.” Countered Night Light. “Night, I know how much you earn, which is why I’m paying the cab fare,” Pointed Evening Star as he entered the cab. “Evening, we outnumber you three to two, if we take a vote I’ll end up paying anyway,” Argued Night Light as he followed his friend. “Oh, brother,” Complained Twilight Velvet, shaking her head before entering soon after. Twilight Sparkle soon came after, but before she could hoist herself into the cab Sun Light interrupted her by stopping in front of her. Surprised, she took a step back, then blushed deeply as the colt bore his gaze into hers, “I’m sorry about your head.” “Don't you think you are being a bit too judgmental?” The statement made the filly’s blood drain from her face. Sun Light continued unfazed, “Although my dad doesn’t show it. It hurts him when somepony acts scared around him. So please, keep your insulting stares to yourself next time, okay?” Twilight Sparkle’s mouth hung open as she watched the young colt enter the cab.