169 - A Sudden Tumble
"You understand, I am being judged alongside you." Nefertari was seated across from Night. "Your actions reflect on me. To take a student is an almost sacred thing, to accept tutelage just as important. My ancestors watch me with wrinkled brows, many of them expecting you to fail and ready to chastise me for this effort."
Night adjusted her glasses before shaking her head, a motion that traveled down along her form before she gave her rump a shake and stilled herself. "Alright... I'm taking this seriously. What do I need to do next?"
Nefertari gave a light nod. "It is time you met your first ancestor. Since you have barely learned of them, you will draw one of two kinds. If you are fortunate, your call will be heard by a very loving and eager soul, rushing to make contact. More likely, you will be heard by a bitter one, more eager to lash at the living world with your call as the perfect excuse to come." She raised an ear. "Of course, you are a pony. Your family may be much more... gentle." She resisted the urge to say weak. "So let us begin."
It was a slow process that had Night wondering at times if she was even doing anything at all, but she tried to clear her mind and remain as still as her teacher demanded. She gazed at nothing at all and tried to see beyond what was plainly ahead of herself.
"If you have a close family member that has passed on, that would be an excellent place to begin, preferably one you had a strong bond to in life," instructed Nefertari. "Your bond will make the call louder, but I cannot assure you will reach that particular soul."
Night thought of her grandfather, a kindly old stallion that had treated her well as a filly, before she went off to become a guard. After that, she hadn't seen much of any of her family, but before... She loved her grandfather dearly, and he seemed to like her. She held the image of him in her mind and her lips moved with the calling of his name as she squirmed faintly, feeling at once a little excited and a little foolish.
Nefertari's ears quirked faintly, but she said nothing. It was silent for a time between them for an uncomfortable time before the jackal reached slowly, paws beginning to glow, and grasped at the air. "Your calls, continue them." She took ahold of the whisp of ephemeral nothing in the air and gave a sudden pull, amplifying Night's amateurish pleas from a whisper to a sudden roar.
"No need to shout!" came a voice from nowhere at all. "Night Watch? Little Watch? Oh! What's going on? Why can't I hug you?"
Nefertari frowned a little. "Your ancestor does not yet realize he has passed on. That is unfortunate..."
Night sat up with surprise, looking around for the source of the directionless voice. "Pop pop?" It wasn't his proper name, but the one she had used with him much of the time. "Can you hear me?"
"Of course I can, you're right in front of me. Why aren't you looking at me?" Night heard the sound of an old pony settling on his haunches. "Is something wrong?"
"To inform him is dangerous. He may grow angry, or distraught. Not all spirits bear this news well, no matter how true it may be..." Nefertari was staring her in the eyes, but did nothing about Night's visitor.
"Pop Pop... What do you last remember?" Night gave the ghost of a smile. "I missed you."
"You were always so busy chasing your dreams." A little happy sigh was heard. "I and your parents were very proud of you, What do you mean by that first bit? I remember a lot of things."
"The very last thing, before today."
"I had a terrible cold... Your parents took me to the hospital. I always hated that place, but they insisted, as if I'd never had a cold before, hmmph."
Night felt tears stinging in her eyes, imagining her beloved grandfather complaining all the way there, to the last place he'd ever see. "And... then?"
"And then they poked and prodded, but it was a waste of time. I'd keep coughing and sneezing, but one night I got better. No more of that for me, see?" A loud breath sounded from the air. "Healthy as a horse, just like I always was. Girl, look at me when I'm talking to you, please."
She felt two hooves as cold as ice touch her cheeks and direct her to the left, staring at a wall, but it was a direction she assumed held her departed grandfather. "Sorry... Pop pop, do you trust me?"
"Trust you? You never lied to me before, except that one time you thought you were clever about the cookies." He laughed gently. "I knew you took them."
Night forced a smile. She remembered the time, but the moment was dim compared to what was in front of her. "Pop pop... You... I love you."
Coldness surrounded her. She was being hugged, but her grandfather had no warmth to share, not anymore. "I love you too, now out with it. What's on your mind?"
Taking a slow breath, she gathered her courage. "You never left that hospital, not while you were alive."
"W-what? We're talking, right now." She could almost feel him scowl at her. "That's not funny, Little Watch."
"N-no, this isn't funny. This isn't funny at all." More tears flowed hotly from her stinging eyes. "Please don't be angry."
There was a moment of silence. "Did... I really? Oh... Was it... a nice ceremony? Oh, nevermind. I don't want to talk about that... Why are we talking if, oh no! Please don't tell me you went away too! You look so young, so healthy!"
Night felt a new smile emerge. "I'm fine, Pop pop. I'm a mother now, you know."
The spirit was quiet a moment before he laughed loudly. "You didn't bring my great-grandfoals for me to see? Silly Little Watch." She felt the cold of his embrace. "What stallion stole my Little Watch away? Is he treating you like the princess you are?"
Nefertari suddenly clucked her tongue. "Honored spirit. You are not of my ancestry, but I have accepted the task of instructing your child in this art."
"What? Who? Oh! What are you?"
"A friend. Worry not beyond that." Nefertari raised a brow faintly, looking off in the direction of Night's grandfather easily. "You are the first of her ancestors she has called. Will you now accept the duty of protecting her from others who may not approach her with kindness in their hearts?"
"I would think you're making a big deal about nothing, but you seem serious. Miss, what is your name?"
"Names have power." Nefertari clucked her tongue softly. "But I will grant you mine, in return for this task. Do you accept this?"
"I will watch over her, gladly. I love her!" Suddenly Night could see something, the faint outline of her departed grandfather. His acceptance created a tie between them, enhancing her still feeble grasp on this new art. "Oh! You're finally looking at me." He approached and nuzzled her and it wasn't quite as cold as before. "My Little Watch..."
Nefertari gave a little smile. "Then this is now your sacred duty. I, Nefertari, have witnessed this agreement, and those behind me acknowledge it. You are the first, but you will not be the last. Your 'Little Watch' has chosen to walk down a dark road, and a friendly face at her side will make the long journey easier to bear."
"What road? What are you doing?"
He was looking right at her. Night gave a little nod. "I asked Nefertari here to show me how to speak to spirits and do her magic. That's how we're talking at all." She took a slow breath. "I'm glad you're back."
"I'm not really back, really..." With growing awareness of himself, he shook his head. "I feel like an echo of myself, but it's better than nothing at all. Little Watch, this feels, um, dark, as the lady said. Are you sure this is right?"
She clenched her teeth a moment. "I won't be left behind. Please, Pop pop, I'll get better at this."
"Oh... I'm not worried about that. You can do anything you set your pretty head to doing." He raised a hoof and brushed her cheek. "I always knew you'd be something special... Just... don't hurt yourself, please. You don't want to be where I am."
Nefertari clapped her paws together suddenly. The room seemed to grow brighter. The outline was gone. They were alone. "You have performed well. You have placed your first foot on the path in earnest. If you mean to back away, this would be your final chance."
Night licked her lips with building anxiety. Her grandfather was seemingly dismissed, though she assumed not forever. "Nefertari... why are you showing me this?"
"Hmm?"
"I mean, you call it sacred this, sacred that... Is sharing it with me even something you're allowed to do?" Night raised a brow behind her thick glasses. "I mean, thank you, but the question stands."
Nefertari wrinkled her nose. "It is... unusual for ones of entirely different ancestry to tutor one in this art, but not unheard of. To accept a student is an honor, and speaks well of any person willing to take the time and effort."
"This isn't a secret?" Night frowned a little. "How many Anubians know this magic?"
"About as many Saddle Arabians. Their hide their magic behind ancient words and droning incantations, but they are drawing on their ancestors just as truly. Unicorns are the aberration, performing magic with their horns without any involvement of this power. It's no wonder they become so proud of themselves, so full of importance..."
Night's wings unfurled and re-folded fitfully. "What stops everypony from learning this then?"
Nefertari pointed at her, claw glinting in the light. "I was not lying. This is a dark path, fraught with peril and risk to tear your own mind asunder if done improperly. Few are able to do it, but you... I felt you could, and there is some benefit to me."
"Benefit?"
"Worry not of that." Nefertari smiled. "Today, we celebrate, as we should when we begin any new stage of our lives. Today, you are a shaman. Young, mewling still, but you have reached into the other realm, and you have a spirit bound to you. Take pride in that, pride, and caution as you step forward from here."
Night rose to her hooves and let out a slow sigh. "Can I call him?"
"He is bound to you." Nefertari rose smoothly. "He will come at your words, but don't order him, not yet. You have more to learn, even if he is friendly to you. He is still a spirit, and can cause you harm, even without ill-intention."
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Is he treating you like the princess you are?"
Nefarious supernatural goings on are going on. Turns out witchcraft is magic. Who knew?
David Silver to put this simply I think you have stumbled on to a super good story ark that is going to get vary interesting really fast.
exultant righting.
i think this is very cool, at least night will be able to try and protect her stallion. of coarse he is now the main damage dealer of the heard while night is the assist who can bound the enemy's and make them feel pain and samantha is the medic.
The chapter title feels like false advertising, but the content is great. Keep it up, and enjoy the con
7214963 Well, Silver have the raw power and some knowledge to use them so he is a great damage dealer but require more time than the average battlemage (He also have quite a bit of charisma, too. Being a Diplomat). Night will probably be the one to 'tank' or is it 'stalling?' (Not sure what her role is named in term of RPG, but, she is someone who fight on the frontline, scout and buy time for allies). Samantha will be that quirky engineer/doctor/healer (not sure which or a little bit of all).
7215003 I was not planning this chapter at all.
7215064 it looks like he will have more HP and DEF since he is an alicorn, plus his magic is going to be hella strong like in the other story that is why night is getting shamen powers because she does not want to be useless.
7215131 I was more talking about what their role would be in an RPG game.
Silver should learn healing spells, as in an RPG it gives the biggest problem of MegaBlissy with its immense hitpoints and health regeneratonfor all means you have to focus all attacks on it, leaving the rest of the squad to do nothing but attacks. Ive noticed magic and physical damage absorption is getting popular as well.
Night now has Gramps to look after her on the other side? Wonder if he is ex Celestia Special forces, and with Night and Nefer working together, starts to reform Ghost Squad?
- They hide"
---
I caught one!
I don't know how many ways or times I need to say this but this is a very good story. I do hope you find time and energy to continue the story.
Dragonfox
7215163 i known
i got the idea to type this when i was playing evolve
7215380 Thanks!
for a time between them for an uncomfortable time - one of these for a time statements is redundant.
If he treating - Is he treating
Their hide - They hide
*****
I've been waiting to see how this would go from the moment Nefertari agreed to take Night Watch as a student, and it's not disappointing. Quite fortunate that her first contact is with a loved one. I'm sure she understands what a gift she has been given.
You also did a fair job explaining away the spirited questions raised in the previous chapter.
Now we get to wait to see Silver's reaction.
Also, you get 1000xp for trolling us with the chapter title.
And I see that the typos I found were already ninja'd by others. Empty tummy for a certain lunar pony tonight.
Awe yeah! One spirit in the bag!
Keep going! ;)
Silver there aren't to many typos but maybe the typos we destroyed became one with the spirits if so we have a undead army of typos on their way.
(Im so sorry I couldn't help it XD)
7216450 Wow, Night should be happy now, this is a major step up & forward for her, hopefully she won't feel so left behind now.
wisp
Magic lesson?
"Is."
I'm amazed this typo survived the nearly 33 weeks since it was first pointed out in the first comment of this chapter (and others since). Resilient little bugger.
7831204 Fix'd