My Little Witch

by PoisonJoker09

View Brew

Light…

Why’d there have to be light.

I glared at the glaring sunshine that filtered through the rather crude curtains I had bothered to put up, and sighed.

I suppose the next choir for today, moving furniture, and by moving furniture, I mean the tacky painting over the window to block out the light, it would be easier than trying to budge this heavy bed.

I kicked off the heavy clothing and blinked away the drowsiness from my eyes, Celestia; I really hate your inconvenient morning hours.

Still feeling off center, I knew that the current occasion called for something a little more drastic.

I walked towards my familiar fireplace and set the fire alight again, this time it was a simpler case of getting some water boiled and grinding together a number of beans together, a few minutes later and presto.

We have some coffee, sweet, sweet coffee.

*slurp*

Now I’m ready to take the day!

…

Is what an outgoing pony would say, for me it is more like 'Now I am ready to survive the day'

How I lived without my magical brew I will never know.

I then made my way to my discarded saddlebags, opening one up and pulling out a familiar book, old and weathered, yet its cover was still black and well kept, I placed it on the floor and then swiped with my hoof, the pages tumbling over each other and landing on a random page.

So... Dimensional Beacon Brew? That was certainly a new one... and it certainly seems like an interesting potion to cook up as well.

A number of ingredients are not with me right now... they are common yes but.

I needed to buy them in the Market Place for that. I sighed rather unhappily, I've been here for two days, and now I have to go back again so soon.

I took my cloak draped over my creaky chair and put it on, within a few minutes, I was walking out the door, reluctantly moving towards civilization.

---

The activity in the town had increased since my absence, now it was entire groups of ponies walking around from one place to another, it was clear that whatever holiday they were celebrating was certainly a big deal, nothing to care about at the moment however so I'll just make my way to the market.

It was a rather fine art to walk around a town unnoticed, for one, its best you have a dark color for yourself, my dirty gold coat manages to do I well enough, but in this candy tinted wonderland known as Equestria, dark colors stand out, so it is likely I will have to get a lighter shade of brown for my cloak , I suppose a dye or something will help with that.

The carelessness is rather quaint to be honest, being under the rule of a goddess must help that fact, the land which she claims is free from Griffin military and Changeling drones, the closer you are to Canterlot they say, the closer you are to Elysium.

I wonder if anypony here has had a day of true tragedy and hardship, wait, that is of course exaggerating, there has to be a number of problems present here and there. It's just that they have more good than bad.

My eyes were then drawn to a certain collection of red special shapes, that looked juicy and tender, and my stomach growled in response.

Apples... were quite the delicacy.

Not to say you won't find a tree out in the dark parts of the world, and Equestria always had bundles of such produce, but it always perked me up to see a the lovely fruit, as it was always my favorite treat as a little filly.

I then dipped the right side of my body, and then swung my left in practiced ease, a single Bit came out of my bag and I caught it in my mouth, placing it on the counter of the stall, not giving the owner a glance as I picked out one of the better looking ones in the back of the box holding them, and started walking away.

"Excuse me miss, you ain't from around here are you? New pony in town?"

I shut my eyes briefly and breathed slowly out my nose, as my mouth was occupied with the delicious apple in my mouth, I turned towards the face with my head, and properly looked at her.

She had a bright orange coat, Earth Pony and freckles on her face, a old hat perched on top of her head similar to the type I saw on some wandering desert ponies, she was a farmer obviously, due to how it was a stall that you pushed and worked with, and the defined muscles in her legs.

I tossed the apple in my mouth slightly behind my head, and caught it within my bag, I would have to save it for later.

"Yes... just moved in." I stated, she waited a few seconds before realizing I had nothing more to say, but didn't seem awkward and instead gave a large smile.

"Well that's just swell, always glad to see a new neighbor in Ponyville, nice trick by the way." she tilted her head towards my bags, I shrugged at the compliment.

"Well, my name's Applejack, proud Apple farmer of Ponyville, whats yours?"

"... Scry." I said back, I knew I would have to give a clear sign I would have to leave to shake off this conversation, "I actually currently have business to take care of at the moment if you mind..."

"Ah, suppose you'd need some new furniture or the like then right?" She nodded at her own words, "Don't let me keep you then, and what a time to move in, after all the Summer Sun Celebration, a lot of ponies likely be off to help with the festivities."

Great... I suppose it makes sense for people to take time off on such an activity, my mindset was blurred by the fact there was hardly ever any time taken off for running a business in other towns.

I nodded back and simply went on my way, I had conversation with another person, I was rather careless to not think that the stall owners would be socially active, I should just get those ingredients and be done with this.

---

I usually didn't complain about price, mostly because people were usually fair and I didn't really want to cause a scene, didn't want to draw attention, and even when somebody did try to up the price, you'd be fine because ponies were always generous to a point, so it would only be a Bit or more.

But I was sure this colt was ripping me off.

"That is at least twice as much as what I'd get an actual regent shop which can guarantee the quality, are you seriously trying to sell a clove of Perenze for thirty Bits?" I looked at the market stall herb seller who simply gave a smug grin, I suppose with every collection of plants, there is a weed hiding among the pretty flowers.

"Now that is where this delicacies are plentiful, in a small town place like Ponyville, you need to balance the profit you know..."

I rubbed my head with my hoof, the start of a head ache coming on, it seems he only researched this herb partially after getting what he wanted to argue with customers.

"You DO know that the Perenze root is poisonous in almost any way you try and cook it, and the only way it is a food is for Dragons who can handle the product." I stared him straight in the eye and he flinched, perhaps because I am determined not to get swindled, "I should question the Guards you know, you trying to advertise such a plant as produce likely will cause some unsavory reputation around any business you conduct..."

He was horribly sweating at the threat and gulped, "Eh... d-don't be so hasty, I'll just bring them back down to fifteen alright? No need to call the Guards on this."

"I think I see one around the corner now, I think I'll go speak to him-

"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, Half price, seven Bits, just please don't say anything..."

A moment later, I was walking away cheerfully with a bag of decent herbs, the seller slumping on the ground in depression.

Although I said I don't like causing a scene, I like to put some ponies in their place, maybe this will teach him to do his research properly from now on.

I then took out the list I had written down, all the ingredients I written down from the book, I had nearly all of them now, all that was left was... simple refined sugar?

I never liked sugar, stuck to my gums awful and the sickly sweet sensation was ever present, cakes and candy were hardly a favorite food of mine.

Now market stalls might sell a cupcake or two, but I would need to find a bakery for this...

I looked around, there wasn't a bread sign or anything indicating so...

I looked around again, this time for anyone looking my way, once I confirmed there wasn't, I took out a pendant from my bag.

"Bakery." I uttered, and immediately it glowed a dull blue, all my directional assisting pendants were shaped in a cross to clearly indicate which direction I should go, it was currently indicating the left, a few degrees of spin, and it then made the forward arrow glow.

And off I went...

---

...

This can't be it... can it?

I looked down at the pendant, and shifted it left and right, sure enough the arrow was still pointed towards the... building.

I sighed and looked back up at it, it looked more like something that would be served in a bakery, if it wasn't for the fact it would melt otherwise I would daresay the walls were made of chocolate, the decoration was so much different from what I'm familar to seeing in a normal town.

And... I felt my teeth just ache looking at it, it was painful.

Still, I put away the pendant and simply trekked inside, my bits already ready to be given to whoever owned this bizzare store.

A tinkering bell sounded as I entered, and I was greeted by the INTERIOR even being filled with the same ghastly theme, I held in my sudden desire to gag and simply made my way to the counter, where a rounded blue Earth pony stood with a smile.

"Hello, this is Sugarcube Corner, are you here for the celebration? I don't think I've seen you around Ponyville before."

I simply grunted and flung a few Bits on the counter, "I need a bag of refined sugar if you please."

She frowned slightly, but nodded, "A bag of sugar? Are you in the mood for cooking something or just general use."

I shrugged, "Cooking." Of course it involved a lot more than an egg beater and oven, but she didn't need to know that.

A small bag soon found itself on the counter and she took the amount of Bits needed, I put the rest of them into my bag and soon the bag of sugar was safely in my saddlebag, I turned without another word towards the door.

And it was only raw instinct that saved me as I jumped back as the door exploded open, but it didn't help me much as a pink blur slammed into the right of me, I felt the world spin a few times until I landed flat on the ground, my head still twirling around horribly like it wanted to catch up with the revolutions my body had made.

I closed my eyes quickly, and opened them to look at the back legs of another pony, the pony who I am sure had to have been a force of nature because that was WAY too quick to be a living creature, let alone a pony.

"Mrs Cake! There's a new pony in town so it's time for a WELCOME PARTY! We need to get cupcakes, big cakes, strawberry cakes, chocolate cake, OHOHOHOH and also those hot sauce cakes, I bet she'll get a KICK out of them, and I need to dip into my party supplies for the decorations! And I need to invite everypony in town as well, there is so much to do! And also the invitations, I NEED TO KNOW THE PONY'S NAME-

"It's alright Pinkie Pie, we'll save a decent amount for her to enjoy, you don't need to worry." 'Mrs Cake' said, and then said a little softer, "But I think it's best you don't talk about such parties in front of the one you plan to throw it to."

I had just managed to pick myself off the ground when a startling image of a pair of blue eyes came into my personal space, I took a quick step back out of sheer shock at the mare's proximity, she stared at me for a few seconds before a shocked look crossed her face.

"HuaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAA!" I stumbled back with the loud gasp that issued from the pony known as 'Pinkie Pie', and she flipped backwards in the air, and landed behind the counter, the older mare Mrs Cake was startled, but that was the last I saw of her face until she was pulled from sight by Pinkie Pie behind the counter.

I stared for a few seconds, stunned beyond all belief.

"That's a new new pony Mrs Cake!" A whispered shout sounded from behind the counter, I honestly wondered if she really knew that I could hear her perfectly well, "There's TWO new ponies in town, that makes TWO Welcome to Ponyville parties! Ohmygosh this will be the BEST Welcome to Ponyville times TWO party EVER!"

I managed too get the gist of what this situation was about, it seems like whoever this... pony was, liked throwing parties for anybody new in town.

Great, come in for one round of shopping and suddenly everything is going to Tartarus.

I quickly exited the shop, and made my way to the outskirts of town, and back to my shack.

When I was finally inside, shut the door and peeked outside the window, there was no incomprehensible pink blurs of sound and speed, so I suppose I managed to avoid her.

I breathed a deep sigh of relief, it was a bad idea to walk into town so soon, the celebration they are having might be able to ward off any memories of me, unfortunately I had a bad feeling for that pink pony, she had that VERY persistence air about her, I should probably lay low for a week or two, maybe that will exhaust any of the enthusiasm she has in her system.

I then moved my eyes toward my bags, a quick thought came to my head on how to get my mind off the near interest somebody took in me.

I struck a match, I placed it to the wooden pile under the cauldron, soon enough, the pot was heating up, the particular mix needed has to have a base heat and not to have a second touching a cold surface, I learned that lesson the hard way.

I brought up my book again, and looked through the necessary steps, first I waited till be cauldron was heated up, and then filled it halfway with a mix of Hail-merry and Jun-bug berries, along with some Slime Sludge I had been saving.

Another one was the color of a rainbow, that was particularly potent due to it's high magic potency, soon enough the single scale of a dragon was put in, my last batch unfortunately, powerful spells needed it as the stock, I haven't been able to find a dragon since coming into Equestria.

Finally, the blood of a Manticore, with a mix three-quarters clockwise and eight a half anti-clockwise.

Sure enough, the colors swirled and stayed separate, rainbow recipes were very distinctive because the colors never mixed, this one however was quite unique, the colors had turned to a perfect pinwheel pattern, it spun and twirled as I watched.

I took a pair of cloths and lifted the hot cauldron from the fire, it was bubbling, this was good, bubbling usually meant the mixture was a success...
Or it was about to explode, but that is only when you get it tragically wrong, and I made no mistakes.

I blinked slightly, and looked at the window, it was dark outside, making potions always did seem to make the time pass quicker, it was 2:00 PM the last I checked.

It was now... about midnight, hmm.

I turned my attention back to the brew, that last of the steps indicated was a strand of fur, plucked from the head of the one who wishes the spell to focus on.

I suppose that would be me, I pulled down my hood, realizing I was still wearing the cloak, and shook my mane until it was in front of my mouth, I gripped some in my teeth and pulled sharply down, ignoring the twinge of pain that came with it.

Carefully, I positioned my head above the brew, and let go.

Slowly, several strands of my mane, blue, silver and green floated down, and hit the surface of the mixture, suddenly, the swirling colors stopped their twirling pinwheel movements.

Then, it started expanding, orange, pink, shades of all blues and greens started appearing next to each other, the color scheme getting more and more varied, until eventually it was one entire wheel of color that went through all the primary colors and what they can turn into between them.

Then, it started spinning again, but quicker, so much quicker that it turned black with the fusing colors coming together, then it.... disappeared.

I blinked, and looked deep into the cauldron, but it was the same story, nothing at all was inside.

Was it a failure? No, if it was a failure, it would have fizzed, burned, exploded or came alive, sometimes at the same time, it must have done something...

This was too grandiose of effect to have been nothing...

I suppose it does feel a lot, different somehow, more open... Hmm...

Hmm?

I stared at the presence that took up a space nearby me, it felt like something was watching... what did that damn book say?

I looked through the notes more carefully this time, and a finally a certain piece jumped out at me.

Allows for dimensional oddities to view and comment on the world the brewer inhabits, at times, they can be helpful guides and ponies that can give advice to problems, other times they can be burdensome and annoying, and others they can be the devils whispering for your darker side to be unleashed, a useful brew for those you lack perspective other than their own

I looked back and forth to the 'presence' and the book, and merely sighed.

I should really read these before brewing, my dad always said I leap before I look.

Well, I suppose it can't be worse than the frog incident, I should probably get some sleep in, it's been a long day.

Comments

[ferret]

Then, it started expanding, orange, pink, shades of all blues and greens started appearing next to each other, the color scheme getting more and more varied, until eventually it was one entire wheel of color that went through all the primary colors and what they can turn into between them. Pinkie Pie watched in fascination, her innocent blue eyes shining as she said, "Ooh, pretty!"

I screamed, leaped away from the uninvited pink pony, knocked over my cauldron, and then everything exploded.