A guard rushed into the war room, gold armor gleaming. "Princess!" He hurried to her side and whispered to her. Her wings flared as her eyes widened.
"Bring her here immediately," she ordered.
Twilight looked over as the guard fled, "What's wrong?"
Celestia was looking at Soft Mane, "It seems you will have a chance to demonstrate your abilities. Twilight has invested her faith in the healing arts of your world, so I will as well."
Soft Mane swallowed heavily but nodded. Her patient was hurried in a few moments later in the form of an orange coated earth pony that looked like she had seen the wrong end of a sword a few too many times. Soft Mane hurried towards the form even as the guards gently set the injured pony down. She lifted her shirt slightly to make sure her brand of destiny could be seen and felt the healing warmth of Lashtada pour through her into the surroundings. It had little immediate effect on the injured, but it could buy her time to get to their side.
"Applejack!" cried Twilight, moving a hoof over her mouth. She let Soft Mane work, however. Soft Mane placed her hands on the prone form of Applejack while saying her prayers, conjuring the pink force of her goddess to soothe pains and mend broken flesh. The guards were returning, laden with more stretchers. Soon there were about ten ponies laid out. Long Road advanced beside Soft Mane, assisting her with soft taps of his hooves on the injured.
"What happened?" asked Rarity, "They all look simply dreadful, though our new friends are doing an admirable job."
Celestia shook her head, "They've begun attacking the trains, or at least they did this once. We can afford to delay no longer. This war must end, quickly."
Applejack stirred with a grunt, "Won't get any arguments from me on that," she said as she got herself upright, "Much obliged, pa..." she trailed off, looking at the curious creature that had healed her. "Uh, what in tarnation are you? Ah mean, no offense or nothing."
Twilight played the introduction game, swinging a hoof at Soft Mane, "Soft Mane, priest and healer, and this," she pointed at AJ, "Is Applejack, honest and dependable friend. Are you ok, Applejack?" When she got a nod, she grabbed Applejack up in a firm hug.
Applejack laughed at the embrace, returning it, "Ah missed you something fierce, and here you are with a couple of new friends even. Ya ain't considering replacing us now are you?" Her tone was jesting, but it still brought a momentary look of shock on Twilight's face before she began fiercely shaking her head. "Ya still didn't explain what, uh, she? is?" She raised a hoof to point at Soft Mane.
Her magic depleted, Soft Mane settled down against the table. "Mother's a pony, father's a human," she said a little tiredly. "Just think of me as a pony with fingers." She waggled the mentioned anatomy as a flash of a smile appeared briefly.
"Lands Sake," said Applejack, "Well nice to meet you. Any pal of Twilight's a pal of mine."
Of the many ponies stirring in the pile, one was staring at Soft Mane rather intently. She got to her hooves and approached quietly. Fortunately for her, Soft Mane was paying attention to her friends and only noticed when a soft snout bumped into a hand and began nuzzling.
"Oh!" squeaked Soft Mane, looking down at the pony who's fur wasn't that far off in coloration from her own. "Hello there."
"Hi," replied the mint green unicorn. "I'm Lyra Heartstrings. Your name is Soft Mane?" When she received a nod, she reared up onto her hind legs easily, as if she had much practice with it, "May I feel it?" She was reaching a hoof towards Soft Mane's hair. Soft Mane gave a more hesitant nod before Lyra began to inspect this supposedly soft mane. It was soft. Lyra suddenly grabbed Soft Mane's hand between two hooves and shook it, "It's like in my dreams..."
Rarity raised a brow, "Lyra, dear, we have important things to do. Equestria is in dire need of saving and all that."
Lyra shook her head quickly, "I know! I... can I help? I know some magic."
Twilight began to gently let Lyra down when Celestia spoke, "This is an excellent opportunity."
"It is?" asked Twilight.
Celestia nodded slowly, "Since you find it intimidating to take me on as your first pupil, we will see if you can teach this unicorn instead." She pointed at Lyra, who grinned with excitement. Soft Mane attempted to use the distraction to escape but Lyra pulled her close again.
"Are... you..." she trailed off, unable to finish questioning her mentor's instructions. "I'll do my best!"
Applejack raised a brow, "Now just what in tarnation are you about ta teach, Twi?"
Twilight raised a hoof, "First thing is first. Princess." She lifted two forks and placed them on the table, "One of these has the song of Everglow, and the other, Equestria. They are labeled. Can you please fix me? I want my old body and magic back. Spike's fine how he is."
Celestia lifted the forks in front of herself, carefully studying them before she struck them. The subtly different notes sang in the air. Celestia waved Twilight forward. Once she was seated in front of Celestia, the magic began. Celestia's horn began to glow brightly as those notes became louder and deeper, penetrating into Twilight's form and shaking it as if she would come apart from the force. Something broke loose inside of Twilight with a brief stab of pain, then relief.
"I don't look different?" asked Twilight, looking over her body.
Celestia nodded, "I make it a point to not use transmutation magic, but your gift should be in working order."
Twilight looked uncertain a moment before she gave her wings a flap. Flight came easily, without willing the magic within her. With a squeak of joy she made a quick circle around the room. Celestia added, "Your magic as well. You should be able to use your alicorn reserves again."
Twilight bobbed her head before leaping forward to embrace Celestia in thanks. She reclaimed her forks and tucked them away, "Now, what I'll be teaching you," she looked at Lyra, "Is a different way of doing magic. It doesn't rely on horns. Anypony can learn it."
Applejack blinked, "Anypony?"
"Anypony," said Twilight with a nod. "Assuming it works here, which I have no reason to believe it doesn't, since I've already used it."
Applejack put a hoof behind her head, "So, uh, even an earth pony?"
"Yes," said Twilight quizzically, "That's what I said."
AJ nodded, "Then you have two students, Twilight."
Twilight tilted her head at Applejack, "I thought you didn't like magic."
"Well," said Applejack, shuffling, "Ah reckon part of that was it just not being an option. If ah can be the first earth pony t'do it, that sounds mighty fine. Not to replace hard work or nuthin', but..."
Rarity came up beside Applejack, "We make it look easy, darling, but magic is plenty of hard work on its own."
Applejack nodded quickly, "Right right, just saying. I don't plan to harvest no trees with it, but scaring off timberwolves, or vampire fruit bats? Ah reckon no harm in that?"
Long Road approached Applejack, "It is admirable to expand your horizons, Lady Jack, and a pleasure to meet you. I am Long Road, Twilight's Knight."
Applejack looked over at the donkey, "Huh, you're the most combat ready donkey ah ever did lay my eyes on." She thrust a hoof forward at him, "Pleased to meetcha, and just call me Applejack."
They bumped hooves amiably before Applejack turned her eyes on Soft Mane and Lyra. "Lands sake, girl, why are you hanging off of her like that?"
Lyra became self conscious, blushing deep through her fur, "I... it's hard to explain." With a bit of magic, she conjured a lyre and set it before Soft Mane, "Look at this. It's not meant to be played with hooves." She brought Soft Mane's captive hand to the strings and let them go, "Go on, try it."
Soft Mane looked quite skeptical, but gave it a soft twang, then another. She had no idea how to play a lyre, but she was content enough to lightly pluck the cords in what seemed to be a pleasant enough pattern.
"See," said Lyra, "A natural. If I want to play it, I have to use magic, and that's my cutie mark!" In her excitement, the lyre vanished, no longer fueled by her personal magic. "Tell me where you're from."
"Everglow," said Soft Mane, "It's another world."
"See!" repeated Lyra. "It came from another world." She flopped on her bottom, "You're like... me, from another world, with those... things." she pointed a hoof at Soft Mane's hands.
"Hands?" asked Soft Mane.
"No, the things on the ends of them," corrected Lyra.
"Fingers?" Soft Mane wriggled her fingers for emphasis and Lyra bobbed her head, almost palpably jealous of the digits.
Twilight gave a slightly exasperated chuckle, "If Sweetie Drops heard you right now."
This struck Lyra, making her shrink back, "Don't tell Bon Bon!"
Rarity tilted her head, "I don't mean to pry, darling, but whyever not? She always seems supportive of your... eccentricities."
Soft Mane smiled and couched down to be on the level with the cowering Lyra. "You sound like you really like this Bon Bon. If you are true friends, then she will understand."
Lyra nodded slowly, "Yea, I suppose so. Still, this is amazing..." She reached forward again to get those talented fingers when Celestia cleared her throat.
"Lyra Heartstrings. You are to remain in the castle until such time as Princess Twilight Sparkle has sufficient time to tutor you. You will be my guest until your schooling is complete," said Celestia, her tone offering no chance for arguments. After Lyra nodded, Celestia pointed to the door, "The guards will see you to your room." Dismissed, Lyra departed, still star struck.
Applejack gave Soft Mane a soft nudge, "Don't see what all the big fuss is about."
Soft Mane shrugged as she rose back to her full height. "They're handy."
Twilight snorted at the pun and rolled her eyes before looking to the princess, "Well that's all of us now. We should get started."
The deafening report of a cannon made everypony in the room jump. Confetti rained down on them along with invitations.
Hello friends,
Come to the dining hall on the east side of the palace for the besterest party of the year!
No Need to RSVP,
Pinkie Pie
Applejack snorted as she read the small card, "That gal's not changed one bit. Ah reckon we better git on over there before she comes after us."
Of course Pinkie never lost her Pinkie magic. The song battle with the golem was proof of that. Still, nice to see it in full swing.
Hmm. Trains burn earth to boil water and use the resulting gasses to power their mechanisms. A symbol of all four elements being suborned to a single purpose. I'm surprised the elementals weren't attacking them earlier, really.
Ah, anthropophilic Lyra. When the imbalances are rebalanced, she deserves a day at Canterlot High.
Also, very interesting to see Applejack wanting magic lessons. I wasn't expecting it, but her reasons are certainly practical and reasonable. Still, she's going to have to start from square one.
Twilight's been jailbroken. It will be very interesting to see how her full power interacts with her arcanist abilities. Looking forward to finding out, among everything else.
The blast got typos everywhere; that stuff's worse than glitter:
Single pony, singular pronoun.
Ain't has an apostrophe.
Praise Shen, herald of Lashtada!
Nooo, Applejack, don't do it! If you learn magic it'll totally gimp your base attack, even if you go with a half-caster like Summoner or Magus.
Let Applebloom be the first. She's already an Alchemist in training. Someone just needs to teach her how to instantly mix violent explosives.
...
On second thought, have you ever tried summoning a Timberwolf?
5587655 Lyra might meet Lyra then, and the worlds would implode violently.
We've gone around picking up the glit, er, typos as best we can. It should be better now.
Applejack is best of the mane six to learn this, really. Who else? Pinkie has her own magic, RD has no patience, Fluttershy... I don't... think so... Rarity has her own magic (but may pry later, she wants those dress enchantments!). This leaves dependable Applejack to prove that not-unicorns can learn magic. Not that I planned it this way, mind. It just kinda came out in her talking. I love my self-typing fingers. Feel the flow of the story!
A fun chapter all around. Lyra was an unexpected treat that worked out reasonably well. I shuffled her off the focus though, what with so many characters running around already.
5587711 Applejack can do anything she puts her gall durn head towards.
5587745 In the good-sombra comic arc they even showed how it would happen -- when they meet themselves, the worlds become linked, damage done to one happens to the other as well, and giant evil-looking cracks open in the sky.
Twilight has Craft Wondrous Object.. Could she make strap on hands for Lyra?
5587711
Well, she could just take a few levels in an arcane class and then multiclass into Eldritch Knight.
5588391 To qualify for Eldritch Knight you need 7 levels of summoner, bard, or magus (which costs you 2 base attack) or 5 levels of wizard (which costs you 3 base attack). I guess that's not *too* bad. The wizard version still gets weapon specialization and one level of weapon training, and 8th level spells. Form of the Dragon probably makes up for being -7 to hit vs. a pure fighter.
5588563
Was it covered what class Applejack is anyways?
5588574 I don't think so, but she is pretty acrobatic with the rodeo stuff and all. If she's a rogue, then it might make more sense to multiclass. If she's a monk... not so much.
5588592
Third level Bloodrager? AJ seems to have good physical stats and decent charisma, which works with the class. It also has the right skill set, abilities that compliment what she does in the show* and it starts gaining spells later at 4th level. She'd lose out on Cantrips thought :(
*And thats how Big Mac was able to pull the house. He was Raging at the time.
5587745
Fluttershy is totally a Druid anyways. And Big Mac is her animal companion. Ponies are on the list.
5588799 Divine magic is the only kind of magic I could see her getting, which includes druidism.
Edit: That is, druid magic is divine, so included.
So Applejack will be learning arcane magic never saw that happening. I can't wait to see her and the who ever you choose to focus the story on's classes.
5589720 It will be interesting to see, but the lessons aren't likely to yield fruit in time to deal with the immediate crisis. First, take back Equestria, then we can snuggle up with some books and learn some magic.
So Twi gets her alicorn powers back? Nice, gotta love those story given bonus abilities.
I like how you excuse the existance of typos in every chapter with new reasons every time. ^^
I thought soft mane was blind so how did she know were Twilight was pointing
6699225 She has limited sight, but not no sight.
Of course pinkie never lost her magic. You almost said as much as soon as she hopped through the portal "She and rules never did get along that well" I imagine as a dimensional traveler she'd just Have a natural ability to bend or break the rules of any plane she visited.
7021311 Pinkie follows Pinkie rules and she never breaks them.
Okay, well first off the trial...... sadly I have to say I really did not like it at all. For starters it didn't even seem like a trial at all, just a straight sentencing. Which yes, different legal codes and what not, plus, hard to claim they aren't guilty. But it still wasn't even close to a trial. Which again is in large part due to how fast, and a lot of it just..... no, just no, at least as it was presented, especially Aria that was just.... okay rendering her mute to prevent her from using her power, that does make logical sense, but that kind of massive, lifelong maiming, with that little of a trail, that little of anything, just right to the mutilation, and tossing her down on the floor in the middle of court to watch her get butchered? Okay, I know I do tend to have more severe reactions to this kind of thing then most, but still that was just... no just no. The idea of it makes sense, but how it was handled was just.. barbaric and way to over the top in how fast it went along for something that major. Plus the Fridge Logic of how that would ever actually stop her, given... couldn't she just find someone to magically heal the damage? Even if something about it prevents a regular Cure Wounds Spell from repairing it, (though that is questionable given how overall minor the damage would be but something like that is iffy enough I'd say it comes down to GM discretion, and in this case the answer is "no it does not" so fair enough), a Regeneration would surely do it, and can't tell me there aren't Clerics of certain deities that would love to get a powerful mind controlling enchantress with a grudge against the Queen on their side. So how would that be something good to do? Versus say, The Queen herself putting a permanent Silence effect on her, likely not the spell, but some version of Bestow Curse, or Bestow Greater Curse, anchored with a Permanency spell, and given Illyana's power, while yes it could theoretically be possible to dispel it, it would take a mage so powerful, Aria would kind of be beneath him. And avoid that kind of..... uuugghhh..
But yes, again I realize part of that is likely me just being overly sensitive to these kinds of things, they.. tend to be close to triggers for me I just... always get extremely uncomfortable and at stuff like this unless it is handled very VERY well, and while I don't think the overall verdict is really that bad, how it was handled really was for me. Especially for how fast it went to get to that point. And then add on Adiago, the one who is THE most evil and vile of the group, Sonata is just a petty idiot that really just tags along for the fun, Aria is just a petulant little brat, Adiago is the sociopathic, Sadistic psychopath of the group. Just waltzes in, makes a blatant "I'm am going to suck up to you and make clear I am only doing this to save my own skin, so give me a chance to get close to power and work with you even though I'm an untrustworthy evil bitch" and gets off with what came across as community service. If anything those two should have been reversed, Adiago is the real villain of the group and the one that deserves no leniency at all. The whole logic there just... I did not like it.
Still not happy about the treatment of Spike as doing something wrong either given, again, how do these ponies not have an SOP for dealing with mind controlled guards? Yes his "Sentence' was great but, treating him like a criminal in the first place was kind of wrong given the circumstances. The whole thing just..... yeah not a fan of that 'trial' at all.
Okay moving on, Illyana... LOVED HER! Just, all the interactions between her and Twilight, her whole.. everything, yeah loved all of it, and how she treated Twi given just as the trial was wrapping up something occurred to me... why is Twilight being treated like some common pony, when she is technically a visiting foreign dignitary? Yes "Princess" seems to be a rather limited title here, but that's barbecue Equestria uses different meaning for their titles. At worst she'd be a Crown Princess, since she's next in line to be the absolute ruler of her land after Celestia and Luna. So was nice to see Illyana treat her with that kind of respect. (And yeah I get Twilight isn't the type to make a big deal about this.) Just, everything after the trial was amazing!
Though, before leaving two kind of nitpicks, one Twilight says it was researching a way for them to use spike to send letters that opened Equestria up to invasion... how does she know this? Celestia's letter never said anything about it, and even before that, Twilight was thinking just her showing up here and letting beings know Equestria exists might have been enough, so where'd this come from? (Oh one more added to it, the execution of that was sloppy. Twi sends a letter warning Celestia about the issue of returning maybe opening up Equestria, then thinks to herself "Oh wait that's already happened" and then gets a letter right away saying the same thing, just, kind of redundant and poorly handled.) And second Twi just casually mentioned how this world has magic to revive the dead.. when did she learn this? if before the adventure her reaction to Spike's 'death' okay still work as she might know it, but would not be her first thought, but still seems odd she seemed to learn this out of nowhere.
Now, only halfway through and back to Equestria? Did not see this coming and.... LOVE IT! Seeing Equestria's fallout from this and the ponies there deal with all this new stuff, and the elemental invasions and.... yeah this is GREAT! Also, the impication that Celestia and Luna could be every bit the peers of Sun Queen and the Moon Princess, have all their power their divinity, except they choose not to, to stay merely demigoddesses, to remain at least partially mortal. To not become Goddesses, but rather simply defenders, teachers, to let their little ones be free of that level of control. It really is a great idea and I love it. Though, slight now. With the revelation of the other realms and gods, and with Divine Magic now being known, if they don't take the role, it could lead to many ponies searching out others who would, given other deities more control, and making them part of this verse regardless. But that's something to explore later, still it is an excellent dilemma and chance to explore things, really love this.
Okay, gotta get to work soon so need to wrap this up... the Mane 6 and other canon characters..... ehhhh.... nothing outright OOC, but at the same time, it just... doesn't QUITE feel like them a lot of times. More, an issue of not really having their 'voice' down I think, their overall actions are fine but, a lot of little details just, feel a tad off but in ways it's hard to describe beyond not having their 'voice'. The Lyra scene.. I loved and disliked it. Liked the overall scene itself, and yeah gotta have the Lyra bit, but the timing was really bad, right in the middle of an otherwise tense scene of injuries, showing the power of divine magic, worry over hurt friends.. and then that comedy bit, it, really messes with the tone and feel and goes really really close to outright Narm territory to have it going on like that.
Okay, so anyway, really did not like the trial at all, LOVED Illyana and everything she did with Twilight, LOVE going back to Equestria, the whole stuff with the Sisters not making themselves Goddesses, and the other Mane 6.. are alright, but lacking their unique 'voice' at times. And AJ the Wizard...... it makes sense but, again feel like it's more and execution issue and how fast it went then anything else, also, she better be a magus, because Magi are freaking awesome!
Oh right one more that's always confused me, the Unification Bloodline page explictly states that a level 20 unificationist is ageless, never accruing age penalties so, never really understood how Illyana died unless it was just, her feeling it was her time and going to the Sun Queen. Just, the talk between her and the Princesses kind of brought that back to focus. Or was it always meant is just a lengthened, but not indifinte lifespan?
7527197 The bloodline stops you from showing off your age. You still die. You die like everyone else, just as a young and fit person.
7527191 Did the trial make you uncomfortable? Good.
There wasn't much about it that was 'right'. That world is not our own. Let this be a reminder for those that would see such places as an escape that it could be truly horrible.
7527191 That was more of a trial than many throughout history have gotten in our world. Heck, even today, tick off the wrong head of state and he will feed you to his attack dogs. As happened a couple years ago in a certain country that is a very dark spot on the otherwise "everglowing" night side of the Earth...
Even our Western nations aren't all that far removed from the divine right of kings.