//------------------------------// // Discovering the Magic Book // Story: Sunset's Student // by Manaphy //------------------------------// What can ponies do with magic? Is magic limited to what a pony's cutie mark represents? Those were the questions poking Sweetie Belle's mind throughout the day. Perhaps it was a consequence of reading about Star Swirl the Bearded for a class project. Being unable to spend a second without wondering about Star Swirl and the excellent score she received for the project said it all. Regardless of how her curiosity germinated, Sweetie knew the pony to ask about all things magic. Her name was Twilight Sparkle. Sweetie already stood before Twilight's castle, her legs quivering to where she was unable to remain still. There was just one problem. Sweetie needed to wait for Apple Bloom and Scootaloo; the Cutie Mark Crusaders all agreed to meet up with Twilight a week or so ago. They all grinned at the prospect of performing amazing science experiments and playing different kinds of games just like in the days Golden Oaks Library still stood. Those piqued her interest and brought smiles to her visage, but Sweetie couldn't wait for the moment she'd be able to ask about magic. However, waiting was all she could do. Twenty minutes had already flown past her. Another twenty minutes and she'd have to camp outside with a tent and a bonfire. Sweetie glanced up at Twilight's castle, the crystal structure blotting out much of the sky behind it. It stuck out compared to the rest of Ponyville. Even the glitziest of cottages were humble in comparison. Sweetie could see her own reflection in the castle's walls, her heart racing as she studied the rest of its gleaming surface. It was like staring into her mother's eyes if she wore a deep frown. "They should be here soon, right?" Sweetie blurted out. "And Twilight's gonna help me learn magic, right?" The magic behind the castle's growth was also something Sweetie couldn't take her mind off at times. A whole building ascending from the bowels of the earth due to a mysterious box wasn't the kind of explanation Sweetie expected. She knew that was the truth as well, given how the tale came from her sister and it was just too outlandish for even her to make up. And everypony considered Sweetie as the master of strange ideas, tiger taming cutie marks during her search for one just a single example out of hundreds. As she paced back and forth, the grass' dew tickling her hooves, Sweetie's heart raced. She'd interacted with Twilight plenty of times in the past, whether before or after her becoming a princess. All of those meetings had Twilight assuming a calm tone of voice and giving her visitors some freedom, treating Sweetie and her friends with respect. It was as though Twilight never saw herself as a princess and just as any ordinary mare. Sweetie thought part of being a princess consisted of speaking fancy, making ponies bow before her, and trotting about with her head always held high. Yet, Twilight never had any of those quirky or intimidating qualities. She was as open and casual as she always was when it came to speaking with her. Why was the idea of Twilight living in a colossal castle turning her pale? Why everypony was taking so long was Sweetie's next question. She tapped a hoof on the ground, lips puckered. Ten seconds passed by, Sweetie counting each one. A groan then escaped her mouth. "Where is everypony?" she muttered. Gently kicking the air, Sweetie brought her focus to the castle's tall, golden door. "They should be here any—" "Sweetie Belle!" a pair of voices called out. Sweetie's brow shot up; a beaming grin adorned her face. Turning around, she spotted Apple Bloom and Scootaloo skipping across the grassland with smiles of their own. "Apple Bloom! Scootaloo!" Sweetie shouted back. She waved at them, the two fillies joining up with her seconds later and wrapping each other in a tight hug. The embrace warmed Sweetie's body and loosened her muscles. "What took you so long?" All three of them then released each other from their grip. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo assumed perplexed visages, heads tilted. "Uh, we weren't late at all," Apple Bloom said. "We were gonna hang out with Twilight at two in the afternoon. Ya know, just as we planned." "And what time is it?" Sweetie asked. "Two," Scootaloo answered, shrugging. "Did ya get here early?" Sweetie slowly nodded. "I got here twenty minutes ago." "Twenty minutes?" With her mouth agape, Scootaloo twitched as though an angry hornet buzzed around her. "You're never that early!" "What are you talking about?" "What we mean is that you're always arrivin' to class a minute or two late," Apple Bloom said. "Not only that, but ya make it to meeting places at the last second almost all the time." Apple Bloom trotted up to Sweetie. She crossed her forelegs. "It's not like ya to be this early. We're only surprised." Sweetie knew she couldn't deny those claims. The times she'd arrive to school just as the bell chimed were too numerous to count; she panted with twinging muscles in every instance. It wasn't as though she wanted to show up late. Being occupied with something like homework or sleeping was often to blame when it came to Sweetie. Blushing, a giggle then escaped Sweetie's lips. "Oh. Sorry about that." "It's cool," Scootaloo replied. "No need to apologize. Besides, we've got other things to do." Ruffling her wings, Scootaloo then pumped her hoof in the air, bellowing, "Are ya ready to meet up with Twilight?" "Of course I am!" Sweetie jumped up like a spring and a gasp escaped her throat. Upon touching the earth with her hooves once more, she scurried over to the front door and frantically knocked on the smooth, golden plates. Clacks polluted the air. A chill coursed through Sweetie's veins whenever she tapped the gaudy door. "Uh, everything okay, Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom nervously asked. "I think Twilight heard ya." Sweetie swiveled her head back to the duo; she quickly nodded. "O-okay." Apple Bloom rolled her shoulders. Around a second later, the door opened up. Harsh creaks split Sweetie's ears. She shielded her ears from the cacophony; the ground shook as she tried to stay upright. To make matters worse, the door opened at a snail's pace, Sweetie feeling herself becoming older as she observed the golden plates budging. Soon enough, the door was opened enough to where somepony could trot through without becoming wedged in. Straightening herself out, Sweetie noticed a silhouette on the other end, her opened wings and tall horn instantly recognizable. It was Princess Twilight; her wings were folded and a bright smile decorated her face. Behind her was a seemingly endless hallway, green doors and crystalline walls composing much of it. Sweetie raised an eyebrow at the sight. Secrets and spectacles must've rested behind those doors. Maybe they were about magic, though they could've housed paperwork written in legal jargon. "Sorry about the door," Twilight said, her expression changing to a sheepish grin. She snickered. "I've been trying to get it fixed for some time now, but everypony is telling me to keep it as is." She sighed and then brought her attention to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Anyway, how is everypony?" "We're great!" Apple Bloom cheered. "Sweetie Belle couldn't wait to meet up with ya." Twilight smirked. "Is that so?" Nodding, Sweetie's cheeks became warmer. "Yeah." "That's excellent!" Giggles left Twilight's mouth. "I'm glad to hear you're all so excited!" Clapping her hooves together, she then stepped back and donned a shining smile. "Okay, we'll get to chemistry experiments as soon as we can." Twilight then turned around and motioned toward Sweetie and her friends. "Follow me, please." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo trotted ahead, Sweetie Belle bringing up the rear. Her legs wiggled with each step she took. The moment her hooves clacked onto the glass-like floor, a cold breeze causing the hairs of her coat to stand up, the door slammed shut in a flash. Sweetie's heart skipped a beat. And all she spotted were her own hooves for the first few seconds. Twilight and the others vanished into the darkness as far as she knew. Once her questions about magic were done with, recommending some home improvement for Twilight was the next item on her agenda. At least some sources of light from behind the green, glass doors illuminated the rest of the room. The dazzling display captivated Sweetie, spending some time to stand in place and gawk at the moving patterns it made. Some took the forms of butterflies fluttering about while others were merely in the shape of raindrops; Sweetie gawked at the light-based artwork, unable to avert her gaze from the spectacle. It was like magic. "Are ya comin' along or not?" Apple Bloom hollered, voice echoing in the room. "Coming!" Sweetie hollered back. Catching up to her friends was simple enough, but Sweetie knew switching the conversation to magic and what it meant would be a much tougher hurdle to clear. It wasn't as though Apple Bloom and Scootaloo would shrug off any attempts at switching the conversation to magic, but finding time in Twilight's schedule would require lots of planning and nagging—mostly nagging. A title like Princess of Friendship didn't fall out of the sky, after all. Sweetie cringed as she thought of the paperwork associated with being a princess. Homework for Cheerilee's class already bashed her brain into submission enough. "Our destination is behind this door," Twilight said. Touching the bluish door, she turned to face the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Now, I've already set up a few things for us to do, but if you have any suggestions, I'll see if we can fit those in." The three nodded in unison. "Anyway, welcome to my new library," Twilight continued, forelegs spread out. "What do you think?" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo blinked together, mouths agape. Sweetie caught up with everypony. The moment she entered the room, a loud gasp escaped her mouth. "It's beautiful!" Spectacular didn't even do the library justice. Bookshelves lined every inch of the walls and were filled to the brim with works of all shapes and sizes. Some of the books Sweetie spotted were as thin as sheets of paper while others could've been used for makeshift homes or weapons. Before her were the contraptions they experimented with in the past; the difference was that they sparkled like stars and lacked the thin layer of dust they wore in the past. The tables and chairs, Sweetie presuming they were usually the room's centerpiece, were pushed off to the side. Plush cushions were attached to each of them; they were comfortable at the mere sight of them. What captured her attention most of all was the strange machine sitting in the back of the room. It was a large and stylized mirror like the ones Rarity owned, but something about it felt different. Any fashionista could've made great use out of it, though the mirror had a secret to tell from the looks of things. As Sweetie gazed into the mirror's glass, she felt as though her soul left her body and crashed into a parallel universe. The mechanical systems gripping onto the mirror and holding it in place seemed to suggest something magical was going on. As she approached the mirror, Sweetie's heartbeat quickened. "What's that?" Sweetie asked, slowly approaching the mirror. "I mean, I know it's a mirror, but why does looking at it make me feel funny?" "That's a magical mirror," Twilight said, pointing a hoof at the contraption. "It's just a regular old mirror right now, but when I set the command to activate it, trotting into the mirror will send you into a different universe. There's also a method of activating it while in the other universe if needed. Also, the different universe is quite different from the world we live in." "That sounds amazin'," Apple Bloom said. "What's the other side like?" "For starters, you're no longer a pony when you cross dimensions. The world this goes to transforms you into a biped." Arching an eyebrow, Apple Bloom shrugged. "A what now?" "I think she means something that walks on two legs," Sweetie said. "You know, like a minotaur." "That's right," Twilight added. She paused for a moment. "Also, there's something about that universe where so many activities revolve around schools. For example, the Princess Celestia in that dimension isn't a princess, but a principal. It's like the whole dimension is based off of school!" Sweetie shuddered, as did Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. She'd prefer spending a vacation in Tartarus than going to a dimension where it was impossible to escape the trials of schoolwork. "Can you promise us that we'll never go to that dimension?" Scootaloo blurted out. She bit her lip. "I'd rather not have anypony mess with it, so you're fine," Twilight answered. Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness." "Anyway, shall we get started on our activities?" The three fillies bobbed their heads once more. Bright smiles adorned the trio's visages; tingling sensations coursed through Sweetie's chest as she stood before Twilight, her tail swishing about like a propeller. "Excellent!" With a radiant grin, Twilight clasped her hooves together. "Let's start with something simple and fun!" Before Sweetie realized it, an hour had already flown past. Activities ranging from assembling a simple contraption to basic chemistry experiments and everything in between characterized that hour. All of them prodded her mind, each one progressively more complex than the one before it. Sweetie would occasionally glance at the books occupying the bookshelf, though she spent most of the time cooperating with everypony on the matters at hoof. Everything she observed required a repeated explanation or two from Twilight, but Sweetie and her friends got the hang of the experiments soon enough. It was a messy process, the activities and tasks often requiring three or four more attempts, but it only warmed her heart and earned boisterous cheers whenever something was a rousing success. As Twilight set up a new experiment, this one involving apples as per Apple Bloom's request, Sweetie scanned the bookshelf once more. None of the titles on their spines shone in comparison to the others; all of them were of subjects she'd probably yawn at after reading them for a minute or two. Flora of Equestria, Flying Aces, Greatest Accomplishments of Smart Cookie, and the list went on and on. Some piqued her curiosity, though others would've made for a potent sleeping medicine; none of them were related to her questions on magic. Sweetie stretched her forelegs and yawned. Studying the bookshelf once more, Sweetie discovered one with no title on the spine, the leather-bound book commanding attention. Sweetie couldn't figure out why, but something about that thick book was off. Her stomach twinged at the sight. It was as though it seeped an aura which made her heart race. Glancing to her friends, the two watching Twilight building the experiment, Sweetie crept up toward the book. She held her breath. It must've held the answers to her questions. Sweetie figured Twilight wouldn't mind her peeking at the book for a little bit, just so long as she shoved it back into the bookshelf when she was done. A green aura enveloped Sweetie's horn; the large book shimmied out of the bookshelf, slight rubbing sounds reaching her ears. Then, the book slowly descended toward Sweetie and hovered an inch above the ground, plopping onto the floor. There was a quill sticking out and a sun-shaped symbol emblazoned on the cover, Sweetie arching an eyebrow at the sight. Of all the ponies to write in books, Twilight was the last pony she'd imagine doing so. Maybe it was a studying thing. Opening the book to where it was bookmarked, Sweetie examined the pages. Nothing. Not even a dot was printed on the paper. She flipped to the next page. Still nothing. With tautened cheeks, Sweetie swiped her hoof across the page. Nothing after nothing appeared on the pages. Glancing back at where the quill was, Sweetie's eyes then widened. "It's not a book," she whispered under her breath. "It must be a diary." Sweetie planted a hoof to her face, eyes rolling. "What was I thinking?" Sweetie then shrugged. And if the clock hanging on the back wall told her anything, it was that she'd be unlikely to practice spells or learn about magic with Twilight today. After all, due to how complicated the art and history of magic was, she'd need to extend her visit from the scheduled ninety minutes by doubling the time. Maybe even that wasn't enough. The idea of writing in the journal crossed her mind. Twilight was bound to use it at some point; as long as Sweetie avoided the previous pages, she'd be safe. And while trotting up to Twilight and uttering her request was the more sensible action, something about having it written down sounded more effective in Sweetie's mind. It was worth a shot. Flipping to the bookmarked page, Sweetie lifted the quill and began writing. Twilight Sparkle, Can you please let me know when a good time for teaching me magic is? I'd really like to learn more about it, and I don't think we'll have enough time today. Rarity wants me home to help her with cleaning up Carousel Boutique, so I can't stay forever. Anyway, write back to me in a letter if you can ASAP. Sorry for using your diary, but don't worry, I didn't look at anything and I needed something good to write on. Your friend, Sweetie Belle "Perfect," Sweetie murmured. Without a second thought, she quickly brought the diary back to where it was in the bookshelf and turned to face Twilight and her friends. "What's up?" Apple Bloom asked, locking eyes with Sweetie. "Ya look like ya have something to say." Sweetie shook her head. "Nope," she replied as she approached her friends. "I'm good." "Anything on your mind that I can help with?" Twilight asked. Blushing, Sweetie pursed her lips for a moment. "Nope! I'm perfectly fine!" Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Okay then." She assumed a blank visage and ruffled her wings. "But please let me know if you ever need some help, okay?" "Got it!" "Anyway, as I was saying, our next experiment will deal with making fresh apple juice." Twilight glanced down at the experiment, a series of metallic objects and springs with a nozzle protruding out of its wooden case. Sweetie's eyes widened, she'd never seen something so complex before, let alone anything like that. Next to the machine was a basket of apples and four small glasses. "This might seem familiar to you, Apple Bloom." "It does," Apple Bloom confirmed. "Applejack used something like this to make some apple juice. We also used a bigger machine kinda like it when we made those jugs of apple cider." "That's correct." A smile formed across Twilight's face. "There's a lot more that goes into making apple cider, hence why this is much smaller than the machines used to make that." Apple Bloom nodded. "I see what ya mean." "How big are those cider thingies, anyway?" Scootaloo asked. Apple Bloom made eye contact with Scootaloo and spread her forelegs. "Three times taller than Big Mac." "It's that big?" Twitching her ears, Scootaloo then raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?" "Yep." "I thought it didn't take much to make cider!" Scootaloo stepped back, jaw dropped. "Yeah, it ain't easy makin' cider." "Now then, is everypony ready?" Twilight asked, her hoof just above the contraption. "I'm ready!" Sweetie answered while bobbing her head. "Let's make some—" Without warning, a blinding light shone through the mirror. Everypony averted their gaze from the sight, Sweetie teetering a little as if a storm had barged in the room. She clenched her teeth, eyes closed. "What's going on?" Twilight asked, brow ruffled. "Don't ask us!" Apple Bloom shrieked Her pupils were smaller than pinpricks. "You're the one who knows 'bout that mirror!" The shining light dimmed at last; Sweetie opened her eyes and blinked. Straightening her posture, she gazed at the mirror. Somepony was standing in front of it. She was a unicorn with a golden-yellow coat, a red and yellow mane, and bright green eyes. The leather saddlebag she wore had a luxurious guise to it; Sweetie wondered how soft it must've been and if anything peculiar rested inside. What drew Sweetie's attention most of all, however, was the cutie mark adorning her flank. It was in the shape of a sun, the symbol in the precise style and colors of the sun printed on that diary's cover. Sweetie turned pale. If she inadvertently unleashed some ancient evil, Twilight would never let her hear the end of it. She'd probably have to kiss any hopes of learning magic from her or anypony goodbye. Twilight locked eyes with the unicorn. Despite the warm smile decorating the princess' face, she arched an eyebrow. "Sunset Shimmer, what are you doing here?" Twilight asked as she tilted her head. "I thought you were planning to stay in the other world for a while longer." "I was, but then I got a message from my book," Sunset answered. "It was then when I decided to make the trip back to Equestria." Reaching into her saddlebag, she procured a book and gently placed it on the floor. The brown cover and its massive dimensions were identical to the one Sweetie jotted her reminder in. Sweetie gulped upon making the connection and her blood froze. After all, interrupting a pony she'd never met before was bound to end poorly. Rarity's whining and nagging about interrupting her was enough proof. Twilight pursed her lips for a second. "Were your friends okay with that?" Sunset nodded and a chuckle left her lips. "Of course they were. You should've seen Pinkie Pie before I left, though. I've never seen her so hyper." Sunset procured a plastic bag, the slice of cake inside it visible. "She even sent me this so that I wouldn't get starving. Not to mention that my bag would've burst if I took everything she wanted me to bring along." "I'm glad they understand." Twilight trotted up to Sunset. "Anyway, what did the book say? I don't think I've sent a message since a week ago." Sunset flipped the book open; she quickly turned to the page in question. "It wasn't by you, but by somepony else." "Somepony else?" Twilight shuddered. "Who wrote it?" "Sweetie Belle." Sunset paused for a second. "More specifically, this world's Sweetie Belle." In the blink of an eye, Twilight twisted her head to where Sweetie stood and donned a sickening scowl. The latter's heart sank into the abyss. Magic lessons from Twilight may as well remain a dream at this point, though ending this nightmare was more important right now. Unlike most nightmares, Sweetie knew this one was real. "Sweetie Belle," Twilight murmured. Her words were like needles piercing Sweetie's chest. "What did you do?" "Um, nothing." Sweetie shrugged and crossed her forelegs. A tautened expression decorated her. Twilight's lips stayed sealed; arching an eyebrow was all she did. Sweetie pressed her hooves together and bit her lip. "I—I wrote in your diary." "And what did you write?" "I wrote down a request for you to teach me magic one day." Sweat dripped down Sweetie's brow. "That's it." Twilight nodded; the ugly scowl she wore vanished like a mirage. "That's all?" "Yep. Truly." "You know you could've asked me, right? Even if we couldn't join up today, there would probably be a time to meet up once every two weeks if all went well." She exhaled. "Think before you act, okay? Some of this has the potential to be dangerous." "I-I guess so." Sweetie sighed, shoulders drooping. "Sorry, Twilight." "Apology accepted." Approaching Sweetie, Twilight assumed the faintest of smiles. "Just be careful for next time, okay?" "Okay." Without warning, Sunset gently tapped Twilight's shoulder; the pair then made eye contact. Indistinct whispers left their mouths, Sweetie nudging closer to the pair in the hopes of hearing what they muttered. No matter how close she trotted up to the pair, nothing resembling a clear word left their mouths. She then glanced back at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, both of them shrugging in unison. Twilight and Sunset nodded together and turned to face Sweetie. "Sunset has an idea I think you may like," Twilight said, the slight smile across her face a breath of fresh air. "Are you interested?" Sweetie nodded. "I am." "I know that what you did was kinda irresponsible," Sunset said. "However, part of the reason I returned to Equestria was that your message caught my attention. I was once one of Princess Celestia's prized students." "You were a gifted student as well?" Sweetie asked. With dilated eyes, she shuffled her hooves closer to Sunset. "That's right. However, Twilight helped me get back on the right track after I kinda messed up." Sunset shivered with pale cheeks. "It's a long story." She then straightened herself out, taking a quick breath. "Anyway, while I may no longer be Celestia's student, I'm still learning at my own pace and know plenty about magic. Twilight taught me a lot, and I thought it'd be nice to pass along some of our knowledge to you." A gasp escaped Sweetie's mouth; her face was beaming. "Really?" "Really." Sunset bobbed her head. "Sweetie, how would you like to be my student? We'll get started tomorrow afternoon if that's okay with you." "I'd love it!" "I'm sure ya would," Scootaloo added. "You've been a magic-fanatic the past few days, right?" Blushing, Sweetie giggled and rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah." "So, is there anything you'd like to try first?" Sunset asked. She made her way toward Sweetie, her smile brighter than before. "I wanna know about all the cool stuff!" Sweetie hopped around like a rabbit. Her tail excitedly swished back and forth. "Maybe we'll be able to move clouds, cast cloud-walking spells, and much more!" "Whoa!" Sunset chuckled. She took a step back and extended her forelegs out. "Slow down there. We'll get to those eventually, but don't you think we should start with the basics?" "The basics?" "You can't be gifted at magic from the start," Twilight said. "Even I had to start with the easiest spells before I could move on to the harder ones." "But—" Sweetie let out a sigh "—I wanna do the awesome spells." "We'll get there soon enough," Sunset replied. "Patience is gonna be important here. I was impatient once and it didn't go so well for me." "Heck, any of the crazy stuff y'all are gonna do will be cool to us," Apple Bloom added. "Think of it that way." Glancing to where Apple Bloom and Scootaloo stood, Sweetie smirked slightly. "I guess so." "Then it's decided," Sunset said, clasping her hooves together. "Get plenty of rest tonight, Sweetie Belle. Tomorrow, we're going to cast some spells and learn about magic." "Sounds good." Sweetie recognized this was an understatement. Awesome would've been an understatement in her eyes as well, the radiant grin she wore refusing to leave. While there was still some disappointment that she couldn't march straight into the more complicated or niche spells first, at least there was the thought she'd attempt those at some point. And perhaps knowledge about the more confusing aspects of magic, such as how magic functions in the first place, would be brought up. At least she dodged a magic missile today. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough for Sweetie.