Training in any type of thaumaturgy can be challenging at first, especially when it comes to the magic of the pegasus and earth tribes. You have to feel your way through it and learn through trial and error. Even though I had a coach, I would have to figure out a way that worked for me. I kept trying to drain the life force from the earth itself, and each time my power pressed a little bit deeper, but not enough to sense any significant life-extending effects. After I'd been practicing for an hour and Celestia lifted the sun near its zenith, Granny Smith invited me to stay for lunch. I decided that some home grown nourishment could only improve my progress, so I accepted.
While I ate my hay and tomato sandwich and one of last season's honeycrisp apples, I scrawled as many notes I could between Apple Bloom's questions.
Life drain can add years, decades, or even centuries to a pony's life, but if they push ou
“Whatcha writin', Twilight?”
Fixing my eyes on the page, I answered, “I'm writing notes about life drain.”
t too much thauma at once, it could negate the life force they took in.
“Wow, already? I can't even do that yet. Pinkie Pie makes it look so easy,” said Apple Bloom, brushing crumbs off her face.
“Pinkie Pie needs to learn some control,” said Granny Smith. “You start drainin' life like that, we're sendin' ya away to live with yer cousins.” Then, to show that she was only kidding, she winked.
“I'm going to practice a bit more today, and I'd really like to start experimenting with it soon.” I took a bite of apple, making it small because I was sure that more questions would come, and I didn't want to talk with my mouth full or make Apple Bloom wait while I chewed.
It was Applejack who asked the next question, though. “What sorta experiments are ya thinkin' about?”
I swallowed my bite of apple, which was still sweet and juicy despite being several months old. “Well, first of all, I was wondering if it's possible for an earth pony to push life force into another pony.”
“I don't think so.” Granny Smith shook her head. “When my pa was about a hundred and fifty, he couldn't use life drain as well as he used to. So I tried usin' life pulse directly on him, but it didn't work. Just went into the ground instead.”
Just to be sure, I asked, “Life pulse is what you call the opposite of life drain?”
The matriarch nodded.
“Hm.” I tapped my chin. “I wonder why you can't use it on other ponies?”
“I don't know if I understand it exactly, but I always thought of it as other pony's magic putting up a resistance, even if they don't mean to. Most plants and critters don't have magic, so we can give and take as much as we like,” explained Applejack. She picked up the pitcher of lemonade and topped off my glass.
“Thanks.” I took a sip and wrote another note.
Life pulse = pushing life force into other living things.
“What if you tried using life pulse on a pony in a controlled environment where there were no other natural materials?” I asked.
“If the life force didn't have anywhere else to go, that could work if ya pushed hard enough,” said Applejack, before biting into her sandwich.
“Great!” I grinned. “Then we should build an enclosure out of artificial materials like glass and refined metal. You couldn't push life force into that, could you?”
Big Mac stopped wolfing down his meal long enough to utter, “Nnnope.”
Granny Smith glanced at him before adding, “I don't think so either.”
“Then that will be ideal for this experiment. But before we start, I'd like to talk with Pinkie Pie about her experience with life drain and life pulse. She may have insight that the rest of us don't have.” I set my apple core on my plate.
“Oh, I'm sure she'll surprise you,” said AJ, smiling.
“She surprised us when she drained the life outta all those trees.” Apple Bloom pointed out the kitchen window for emphasis.
“Eyup,” agreed Big Mac as he put together another sandwich.
“Applejack, would you like to come with me to meet Pinkie Pie after she gets off work?” I asked. “Actually, I'd appreciate it if you would. The three of us may come up with better ideas together than just two of us. Besides, you probably have a better idea than I do of what's typical for an earth pony.”
“Like I need an excuse to go to Sugar Cube Corner,” she said with a chuckle. “I'll be there with bells on.”
After I finished my lunch, I left Sweet Apple Acres. I wanted to spend some time organizing my notes and preparing questions for Pinkie Pie. When I arrived home, I sat down at my desk and filled most of the hundred pages of my notepad, which sounds like a lot, but keep in mind that I used just one side of each page. I was down to the last few sheets when Spike strolled through the door, lugging a sack that was larger than himself.
“Hey, Twilight!” He paused, and I heard gemstones clinking together as he settled the bag onto the floor. “Don't tell me you haven't left your desk the entire time I was gone.”
I lowered my quill. “Don't worry, Spike. I went to Applejack's and learned more about earth pony magic in a few hours than I have in my entire life!”
“That's great!” Spike opened his sack and took out a diamond the size of his hand, giving it a speculative stare.
“I take it your day went well?” I asked.
“You bet it did! Rarity and I ran into a pack of diamond dogs almost right out of the gate, but she was prepared for that. She offered to give them half of all the gems we found if they just left us alone and let us work. And they agreed! And she found a mother lode of these diamonds.” He held up the glittering stone. “The diamond dogs were so excited that they said they were going to tell their alpha male and female about it.”
I grinned. “Rarity has a generous heart and the mind of a diplomat. I'm glad she worked out a compromise that made everyone happy.”
“Yeah, she's amazing.” He gazed in the distance before shaking his head. “So, what exactly did you do with Applejack?”
I stood and stretched, which took a bit longer than it used to, thanks to the extra limbs. “Well, the most important thing I learned was something called life drain. Only some earth ponies have this ability, but it allows them to live decades or even centuries beyond their natural lifespans.”
Spike took a moment to process this information. “So Applejack and Pinkie Pie and their families will be around a lot longer than we thought?”
“Yes, isn't it wonderful?” I clapped my front hooves together.
“It is, but . . .” He clutched his diamond in both hands. “Rarity, Rainbow and Fluttershy . . . They're going to live for less than a hundred years, and we'll still be alive a thousand years after they're gone.”
I planted all of my hooves on the floor and smiled. “Not necessarily. There may be a way for earth ponies to give their life force to other ponies. It doesn't seem to come naturally to them if they are out in nature. Granny Smith said she tried to push life force into her father, but it went into the ground instead. But if we could get an earth pony away from the ground, with another pony, the life force would have nowhere else to go except the other pony,” I explained.
Spike frowned in thought. “So, earth ponies have this amazing power, but none of them ever thought to use it away from the ground?” he asked skeptically.
“Well, I don't know.” I shifted my wings. “Maybe somepony has done it before, but the Apples don't know about it. After all, neither of us even heard of life drain before today. Earth ponies don't seem too eager to talk about it with the other tribes.” I brightened, my ears perking up. “But I hope to change that, starting today.” Glancing at the clock on the wall, I added, “Oh, it's almost seven o'clock. I have to meet Applejack and Pinkie Pie at Sugar Cube Corner soon. Do you want to come too?”
“I'd like to, but I kinda filled up on diamonds on the way home, so I wouldn't be able to enjoy the free after-hours pastries.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Wow, you must have really stuffed yourself if you're turning down Sugar Cube Corner treats.”
“Yeah, uh, I think I'm going to go lie down, to tell you the truth.” Spike rubbed his belly. “But you can tell me everything you guys talked about when you get back.”
The “Sorry, we're closed” sign hung in the front window of Sugar Cube Corner. Pinkie Pie wiped the counter in the dimmed light. She peeked up at me and waved before zipping up to the door and unlocking it.
“Hi, Twilight! Come on in. You came at just the right time. We counted the drawer, but we haven't thrown out our food for the day. And you know what that means,” she said, indicating display case still half-full of baked goods. “Free food!”
I stepped inside, relishing the scents of vanilla and cinnamon. “Thank you, Pinkie, but that's not why I'm here.”
“Well, take some honey buns anyway, or they'll just go to waste. Not even I can eat them all.”
Behind me, the door opened. “Howdy, y'all.” Applejack poked her head inside. “Did I miss anythin'?”
“No, you're just in time.” I held out my notepad. “I was just about to tell Pinkie about my ideas.”
“Wait!” yelled Pinkie, turning her head as Mr. Cake walked out of the back room. “We don't have much time before Mr. Cake throws out the honey buns!”
Mr. Cake gave us an easygoing smile. “Pinkie, you know your friends can always help themselves to whatever we have left after closing. Especially the princess and one of our best suppliers.”
“Thank you kindly, Mr. Cake.” AJ tipped her hat.
“So, Twilight, what was it you wanted to tell me?” asked Pinkie.
I lifted a bun with my telekinesis. “Well, I've been researching earth thaumaturgy for the last couple of days . . .” I began.
“Oh, are you ready to learn capillurgy?” Pinkie's tail twitched with excitement. “Lesson one: think of your hair as an extension of your body.” Her mane and tail flowed outward, as if suspended in liquid.
“Um.” I blinked. “Your hair is an extension of your body.”
“Now you're getting it!” she said with a broad grin.
Applejack moved closer to Pinkie. “Actually, I started teachin' her life drain today, and she wants to know more about it.”
Pinkie's mane and tail appeared to deflate like balloons until they were halfway between their usual volume and totally flat. “Oh.” She glanced around as if making sure Mr. Cake had returned to the kitchen – which he had. “Life drain? Are you sure you two are ready for that?”
“What's the matter, sugar cube?” asked Applejack. “You look as nervous as a hummingbird in a blizzard.”
Pinkie forced a laugh. “I'm not nervous, I just don't think you realize what you're getting into.”
“Aw, it's okay Pinkie.” Applejack offered an encouraging smile. “I'm touched that yer concerned about Sweet Apple Acres, but I been keepin' a close eye on Twi and she ain't done any harm yet. And I do have a heap of experience usin' life drain, so I reckon we got everythin' under control.”
“Oh, I don't doubt your experience with ecoturgy, but you have no idea what earth magic can do in the hooves of an alicorn.”
I set aside my notepad and quill and put my hoof on her shoulder. “Pinkie, did something happen?”
She sighed and gazed at her hooves. “I didn't want to tell anypony, but I guess you should probably know. When we were in the Crystal Empire for your niece's crystaling . . .” She gulped. “She used life drain on me.”
I gasped. “She really drained the life force out of you?”
Her lips pulled back in a grimace. “Through my eyeballs.”
“What?” Applejack's mouth fell open. “I never heard of a newborn foal usin' life drain, 'specially on another pony!”
“No newborn foal in Equestria was ever an alicorn,” said Pinkie. “We knew she could do things that newborn unicorns and pegasus ponies can't do.”
I stared into her blue eyes. “Are you okay?” Physically she seemed fine, but I was more concerned about her emotional and mental state.
She drew a shaky breath. “I–I'll get there. I'd rather she drained life from me than somepony like Fluttershy or Shining Armor. I wanted to keep her away from everypony else. I can take the hit and use life drain to recover. That's the real reason I went to the bog today – so I could drain life from plants that nopony cares about. I just used Gummy as an excuse. He understands, and he really does love spending time there.”
I was silent for a moment, taking time to process what Pinkie said.
“Why didn't ya tell anypony?” asked AJ, her eyebrows tilted up with concern.
“I figured there was no point in worrying everypony, since they couldn't control Flurry Heart, and you can't punish a baby that young. And now Cadence and Shining Armor won't have to worry about her using life drain for a few years. Sunburst said the crystaling should curb her magic, and he seemed like he knew what he was talking about.”
“I see yer point, but I hate that ya had to deal with that by yerself. I coulda helped ya keep the foal away from the unicorns and pegasus ponies. I shoulda realized somethin' was wrong. I thought I sensed the lil' alicorn usin' life drain, but I figured that it couldn't be right 'cause she was too young. I shoulda known better than to doubt my earth sense. I'm sorry, Pinkie.” She took off her hat and held it in her hoof.
Pinkie's eyes widened. “You mean you have Apple Sense? It really does run in the family!”
“Well now, I can't sense things 'fore they happen. I can just sense when other ponies are usin' earth magic,” said Applejack, putting her hat back on her head.
“Oh, I see. That's pretty sweet too. And you should never doubt your special sense!” added Pinkie, lowering her eyebrows and giving her a serious look, which was all the more intense because it contrasted with her typical smile and twinkling eyes.
“I'll keep that in mind.”
“Pinkie, Applejack was right about one thing: you really should have told somepony sooner,” I said, ruffling my feathers. “Even if you didn't think anypony could help, it doesn't hurt to ask.”
Pinkie sighed. “I guess you're right. It's just that my parents taught me not to talk about life drain, especially in, well, mixed company. But that should probably be more of a guideline than an unbreakable rule.”
“I wish ponies would talk about it more. I still don't quite understand the desire to downplay the earth ponies' powers. And it's not just you two, or even the other earth ponies. The other tribes don't seem all that curious about earth thaumaturgy. They just assume you're strong and grow food and that's it,” I said.
“Maybe they don't bother to ask about it 'cause they can't do most of it anyhow, so they just don't care.” Applejack shrugged.
“I don't mind that. I don't have anything to prove. Besides, it's easier for me to catch others off guard if they underestimate me,” said Pinkie. “We Pies are masters of the subtle mysteries of geomancy.” She waved her hooves in front of her face.
“Right. If anypony's subtle, it's you,” AJ said dryly.
“Trust me, you have no idea!”
I couldn't tell whether or not Pinkie had picked up on Applejack's sarcasm. “Well, I think we should share our earth magic in as many ways as possible.” I flipped through my notes until I came to the page where I'd written my experiment concepts. “Now that I know it's possible to drain life from a pony, I have hope that there's a way to use life pulse on a pony too. Applejack and I were talking earlier and we thought that if we built a structure out of pony-made materials and put an earth pony inside with another pony, the life force would go into that pony.”
“Interesting.” Pinkie brought her hoof to her chin. “It's like my party cannon. If you put a spark to gun powder, it'll explode all over the place. But put it in a metal tube and it'll only go where you aim it!”
“You're not too far off, but it's not an exact comparison. It would be more like if the explosion somehow went around ponies, since magic seems to act as a barrier to earth magic.” I glanced at Applejack, who nodded.
“That's about right,” said AJ. “Earth ponies can't use magic on other ponies, not directly anyhow.”
“So, if we make a barrier out of glass and steel, the thauma won't be able to go through that.” I indicated my rough diagram with my quill. “The only place it can go is into a pony.”
“Or into the glass,” said Pinkie. “That would be exciting.” Her mane fluffed up to its full volume. “We could bring objects to life, just like Discord!”
“Ya know, you may be onto somethin'. I don't know if we could make a gravy boat hop around like a rabbit, but we might manage to make a glass tree, or even a gold tree!” Applejack beamed, as if she were imagining all the new cultivars she could create.
“Gold doesn't grow on trees, silly. It grows underground like mushrooms.”
Applejack lifted her hoof. “Good point.”
“I never even thought of that,” I said, raising my eyebrows.
“Aw, thanks. It's a big compliment when somepony so smart tells you that you thought of something she didn't,” said Pinkie with a sincere smile.
“You're laying on the compliments pretty thick yourself,” I said, returning her grin. “But seriously, I could use the input of another earth pony when I conduct my life pulse experiment. Do you want to help us build the enclosure tomorrow? I'd like to finish it as quickly as possible.”
“I'd be happy to help with construction, but I don't know how much help I'll be after that.” She rubbed her foreleg and studied one of the tables. “I never could use life pulse. Everything I try to give out just snaps back to me like a rubber band. You saw what I did to Sweet Apple Acres.”
“Yes, I did see that. Did Applejack ever show you how to drain life from the earth itself?” I asked.
“No.” She still wouldn't meet my gaze. “But when I was still living with my parents, Granny Pie tried to teach me how to do that. It didn't go the way it was supposed to.” Her voice was almost as quiet as Fluttershy's. “My magic went down deep into the earth, and then it kept going as far as it would go. It went to this . . . this place where there was so much explosive power that I couldn't handle it. I . . . Ever since then I've been able to do things nopony else can do, or even explain. Sometimes even I don't know what I'm gonna do next.”
“I never knew that,” said AJ. “With all the amazin' things you can do, it's a wonder you ain't an alicorn by now.”
I gave Applejack a sideways glance. I hadn't told her not to tell anypony that I'd thought about how our friends could ascend, but I also wasn't sure if the others were ready to hear it.
Pinkie's reaction was not what I expected. Her pupils shrank and her muzzle scrunched. Then she giggled lightly, rolling her eyes and waving her hoof.
“You're so silly, AJ. Like I could ever become an alicorn. I'm not a magical genius like Twilight.” She reached into her mane and withdrew a cupcake that somehow had pristine icing. “Cupcake?” she offered.
I frowned. She seemed too quick to dismiss the idea.
“Actually, it's possible for somepony to become an alicorn if she understands true friendship and performs a feat of magic that has never been done before, with the help of at least one friend . . .” I thought out loud as I began to pace. “Would your grandmother count as your friend?”
“Everypony is my friend, except for Svengallop,” answered Pinkie. “Anyway, let's go back to talking about that glass and metal thingy. I think Window-rama is having a forty-percent-off sale. They might even rig up the whole thing for us.” She gave me a desperate grin.
My mind reeled. “That sounds great, but I was just thinking . . .”
“We'll probably need the biggest windows they have, nothing too fancy. Do the princesses give you an experiment budget or do your parents still send you money every month?” rambled Pinkie.
I stared. Pinkie Pie wondering where my money came from was about as strange as Applejack keeping files on every individual in Ponyville – which she doesn't, as far as I know.
“Pinkie Pie,” Applejack said seriously, taking a step toward her. “It's plain that you don't wanna talk about maybe becomin' an alicorn. I'm sorta sorry I brought it up. I was mostly jokin', but Twilight seems to have her heart set on it.”
Pinkie gulped and looked at me. “Is that what you want? You want us to become alicorn princesses too?”
I thought for a second. “I did want it before I found out about life drain. And I guess part of me can't let go of it yet. It's lonely at the top, you know?”
“You'll always have us,” said Applejack, placing her hoof on my shoulder, “but you never wanted to be treated any different, did ya?”
“No, all I ever wanted was to be a student of magic. And a librarian,” I added. “I guess I can still be both of those things, but I don't like when ponies treat me differently, or think I'm better than them, like I'm not approachable. It . . . It makes me think of the worst part of school,” I said, realizing something about myself. “Some of the other foals used to think I was a snob because I kept to myself. I overheard them calling me Celestia's pet and saying that I must think I was too good for them. But I didn't think that at all. I was just socially awkward. But now it's harder than ever for ponies to see me as friendly and, well, just one of them.”
Pinkie's eyes wavered. “Oh, Twilight, I didn't- I mean, I don't . . . I don't know what to say. I've said too much already! And I can't lie in front of Applejack.”
“Lie 'bout what?” asked AJ.
“I . . . I . . .” She put both her front hooves on Applejack's withers. “I promise I'll tell you about it someday, but I don't think I'm ready yet. I . . . I'm sorry, but I have some stuff I need to do tonight, and I'm sure you and Twilight are really busy too. I'll see you tomorrow, and then . . . and then maybe I'll be ready to talk about it.”
Applejack furrowed her eyebrows. “Well, all right. But if it's somethin' we can help with, you outta tell us, ya hear?”
Pinkie took a deep breath. “I don't know if you can help, besides giving moral support. I think it's something I need to figure out myself. But on the other hoof, maybe you deserve to know.”
“Know what?” I asked.
Pinkie glanced back and forth between me and Applejack. “I'll tell you tomorrow. I can't Pinkie promise, but I'll try to tell you then.”
We said an awkward goodbye soon afterward, Pinkie making certain that we were loaded with honey buns and cupcakes to take home to our families.
“So,” said AJ, when it was just the two of us, “she put off telling me the truth till tomorrow. Sorta ironic, isn't it?”
It took me a second to realize what she was referring to. “Oh, well, at least she had the forethought not to make a Pinkie promise.”
“Yup, I learned that the hard way.” She paused to raise her foreleg. “Never make a Pinkie promise ya can't wiggle out of.”
I smiled a bit. “Still, she gave us some hints.” My smile faded as I considered what Pinkie had said, and what she had omitted. “I think she might have come close to ascending, maybe when she tried to drain life from the earth and tapped into that explosive power. And she knows that she came close.”
“That would explain a lot. And if it's true, then she must be even less enthused about becomin' an alicorn princess than I am,” said Applejack in almost a resigned tone.
“I guess so. I didn't do a very good job selling it to her, did I?” I turned to look at my friend. “Wait, you're admitting that you could ascend.”
She sighed. “Shucks, Granny Smith kept bringin' it up after you left. I didn't want it to be true, but the truth don't change just 'cause ya don't like it. I have to consider that if I help ya with this experiment, I could meet those requirements that you talked about and become an alicorn.”
I blinked. The thought had crossed my mind that the experiment could nudge Applejack toward ascension, but that wasn't my main goal. I truly did want to see if life pulse could be redirected into another pony. Ascension would be icing on the cake. Now, though, I understood that Applejack saw it as a risk.
“Hey, maybe somepony has already done this before and we don't know about it. So you might not meet the qualifications after all.”
“I hope yer right. I just wish there was a way to know for sure. And if we did know that somepony did this before, there'd be no point experimentin'.” She turned her head, and the setting sun cast stark shadows on her face.
“AJ, there's no pressure,” I assured her. “You don't have to help if you don't want to. I could ask, um, your brother, or . . .” I thought for a moment and drew a blank. It wouldn't feel right to ask anypony else. I wondered if I should feel bad about that or not.
“Well now, before ya go askin' him, I'll sleep on it. I know how important all this is to you.” She gazed into my eyes before her mouth quirked up. “'Sides, you'd have to use a lot more windows to make a structure big enough for Big Mac to fit inside.”
imagine if it turn out sombra was an earth pony at first but grew a horn growth to better focus crystal control on crystal ponies?
*giggles*
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Freaking hell. You're giving me writing ideas. I already write FAR too much!
So... Pinkie's party powers are fueled by the Earth's core? Fascinating. Heck, it seems likely that while she didn't physically ascend, her magic began the transition, given everything she's capable of. Including flight. Of course, those abilities seem limited only to when Pinkie is exercising her special talent. In other words, she can only do it when it's funny.
As for the life infusion experiment, it should prove most fascinating... though I can't help but worry about unforeseen consequences. After all, the amount of life force necessary to overcome magical resistance might prove dangerous to the donator. Or I'm just worrying over nothing. One of the two.
Oh! I only just got the chapter title.
Finally, nice touch with making Flurry Heart even more terrifying than in canon. How do you make the teleporting, artifact-shattering, giggling little doom cannon even worse? Why not make her a vampire on top of all of that?
This is a story I love, since it goes into magic meta physics, but keeps it interesting enough that my eyes don't glaze over from it. An amazing fic!
I'm betting Pinkie's already immortal, but didn't want to say anything out of fear of losing all of her friends. In fact, I bet the reason she can't do Life Pulse is because she's constantly doing minor Life Drain, and you can't do both at the same time.
Very interesting ideas on Pinkie's abilities. I am curious about what it is exactly (and why) that Pinkie seems to be traumatized by.
While it would be hilarious for Big Mac to be accidentally alicornified in AJ's place, I'm pretty sure that's a different story.
I see three ways Twilight's upcoming life drain experiment could go.
1. Twilight successfully injects (for lack of a better term) life energy into another pony, thereby extending their life. Possibly as a by product, this might instigate ascension. This would have long lasting repercussions, and possibly start the alicornification of every pony in Equestria. Regardless of possible ascension, Twilight discovered a remarkable way to extend Pony lives.
2. Nothing happens whatsoever. As far as the laws of physics and magic are concerned, what Twilight is attempting is completely and utterly impossible: Discord could probably manage it, but then again he makes the Universe's laws his little b**** all the time, so it's not really applicable to most ponies...Or Twilight's methods are flawed, but there is a way. Whatever works.
3. Everyone dies. Or worse.
Imagine how offended Rarity would get if Earth Ponies really could grow gems and precious metals for her to find
7180746
4. ???
5. Profit!
So she reached Equis' core, interesting...
Or at least a magma pocket filled with natural gas or water vapour, now THAT is an explosive combination.
Maybe Pinkie is already the secret alicorn of party. Oh yeah, I'm gonna follow this alright.
And that's two quarters into the pun jar please, thank you very much.
Also, secret Pinkie alicorn. Now there's a funny new idea.
This was an interesting chapter. Maybe Pinkie's secret is that she already is an alicorn and has been shapeshifting her wings and horn out of sight this whole time.
My own headcanon has something similar to life pulse in Earth Pony Biolurgy. The difference is that while it can be used even on other ponies to help heal injuries, the power source is entirely internal, and trying to make food grow with magic alone would take more energy than you'd get out of eating the plant. Thus, farmers tend to use it for smaller things, such as curing sick plants, tricking them into flowering and providing fruit more times per year than they would naturally, and, most commonly, force all the fruit on a tree to ripen and fall simultaneously.
I think earth pony abilities hold a lot more risk for everyone if used incorrectly hence the passed on warning not to discuss such things in mixed company. Twilight's experiment seems extremely hasty considering her not fully understanding the implications of what it could do. Think she should really try to understand life pulse better before trying to subject it's use to do things not normally done.
On the other hand if this was especially dangerous I am sure Pinkie's sense would be ringing tons of alarm bells for her and she wouldn't be getting so involved just to avoid talking about her tapping into the life force of the planet as a whole.
Another great chapter.
This whole concept opens up the door for a new type of earth pony villain, one hellbent on draining all the land in a quest to obtain immortality. Perhaps this same pony could be responsible for the wasteland seen in The Cutie Remark.
This makes me genuinely curious about what you would do with pegasus magic.
And don't get me started on me seeing you handle non-pony magic.
7180877 that's one heck of an idea, but it wouldn't fit in this story. Perhaps this is the story for a sequel?
I read several stories where Pinkie is sort of a Spirit of Laughter-based Chaos, similar to Discord. Is that what she's planning on telling them? That she didn't ascend, but become something more than an alicorn, a pure spirit of laughter/earth magic/whatever. That would be really interesting.
Oh, Pinkie! Never change!
Wait, is pinkie secretly the alicorn of the earth in this story? did she forcibly remove her extra appendages? this could go really dark.
This makes me think of the Spa Triplets/Whatever number they are at now.
What if because they are EarthPonies, they constantly let out a form of magic to help ensure they're helping heal knots, tension and easing the mind of everypony that actually comes into the spa?
Isn't it possible that Redheart being a Nurse is secretly healing her patients with a form of Earth Pony magic and strengthening them just enough to help them be more resilient to disease and injury?
What if Pinkie and Applejack could learn to do the same? Taking the edge off a mortal wound, or what if Applejack has been secretly infusing health into RD with all their competitions and slightly extending her life span with all their competitions to make sure she can keep her competitive for long times to come? She said she didn't know how to do it. What if she does it but is so deep in the competition with Rainbow Dash that she didn't sense it?
Could it be that they also have to make contact hoof to hoof with something else from the infusing Pony (Such as Spit) that it gives out just a minor boost for just a second? We've seen how durable Rainbow is after all. Could it be that Applejack indeed gave her some hardiness to make sure Rainbow Dash better handled her crashes better? She wasn't used to the ground so much as clouds after all. Wouldn't be too surprising if Rainbow got hurt as a filly around Applejack and they made a little vow to help each other get better. Sealed the deal their usual way and that started Rainbow getting that hardiness. As in it's more subconscious than conscious effort.
Well, that is my rambling and thoughts about part of where the story could go. Can't wait to see what else we have here!
I suspect that Pinkie reaching down into the earth, being young, confused range for distance, and didnt reach for the core of the world, but the core of the matter.
Pinkie wouldnt want to be a Alicorn. Why settle for a reduction in abilities?
Twilight used Windows.
A Buffer Overflow Occurs.
+++Out Of Cheese Error. Please Reboot Universe+++
7180893 Now I'm wondering if there's a link between pegasus magic and windigoes' weather-affecting abilities. Perhaps if you don't get an ascension quite right, or interrupt it partway through, you can end up as something... other.
7181127 Talking about nurses helping to heal by pushing in energy makes me think of medical ninjas from Naruto.
Yay! It updated!
Do you know when we can expect another chapter? I don't mean to be impatient, but I really enjoy this and it makes the wait easier when I have an idea of about how much longer it might be... okay, that is impatient. I guess what I mean is, I'm not trying to push you into anything (a schedule, an expectation, whatever).
I doubt that I could add any ideas that someone hasn't already said, but nevertheless, I'll comment a few. Do all Earth Ponies have special senses? Obviously, we know that the Pie family has unique powers and that in Pinkie's case, it's super-fueled by the Earth's core. (Cool addition, by the way.) Applejack can at least sense earth thauma, even though it's not anything special. Will Twilight have some sort of special power? She is an alicorn, after all, and in general, they have boosted power in areas like this.
One thing I have been thinking is that earth ponies area actually have the most magical power of the three basic type ponies. Unicorns have the best control but oddly the least amount of actual power. This is why Tirek went after unicrons first and later went after earth ponies and only then moved on to the highest level targets of Discord and the alicorns. Earth ponies are a font of power but lack ways to directly influence the environment like a unicorn can with their horn.
NEW CHAPTER! AWESOME!
*cough*
God dam, I love this fic.
The mentally scarred pinkie is an interesting direction.
You've really managed to hype me up for the next chapter.
Kind of wondering what your going to do with the non-earth members of the mane 6.
Whatever you decide, it's sure to be thrilling.
On a subject on life energy, could the crystal ponies be experiments by Sombra to not cypher such energy to increase his lifespan and strength. It would explain the crystal heart and why all the crystal ponies are earth ponies. Especially if he drained the life out of the two races that can life drain from the earth and plants around them. Just wonder if that would come up.
Anyway good job and Pinkie or Twilight better tell Cadance for while her daughter isn't a danger now, it should be moral lesson she needswhen she gets older. Otherwise it would a alicorn version of Sombra or Teriek she give rise too.
Interesting chapter, can't wait to hear Pinkie's backstory here.
Also, I'd be worried about magical cancer as one of the outcomes of the experiment.
Prediction: Pinkie Pie is already an alicorn and has been hiding it because she doesn't want to be stuffed into a castle or something like that.
Either that or she's an eldritch being from beyond the beginning of time-space.
Rumor has it that, every time you laugh, you live a little longer. Pinkie Pie doesn't need any life drain/pulse shindig, all she needs is to laugh to obtain immortality! Woo!
On the side note, I like to wonder something about this capillary-thing (I'm too lazy to correct spelling the term): What about the fur? Thinking back to how literal crystal ponies were, what viable applications can there be?
7180642
...that might explain why his horn was so darn crooked. And why it got gruesomely separated from the main body as though it were a reattach able limb.
...which sounds even more terrifying for some reason; Reattachable crystal limbs. Good god, Sombra, control yourself and your crystal fetish! Jeez!
I know it's not the headcanon everyone else is going to talk about, but I just want to voice my ideas regarding ponies and meat/fish. My headcanon is that while ponies can eat meat, it's just something that mostly fell out of practice as they realized that so many animals had some form of higher intelligence (otherwise how would they hold book clubs)? Similar to humans eating dogs and cats. You technically can and some places still do regularly, but it's far from common. The exception is pegasi being notable piscivores (well, at least herbivores that also eat a lot of fish), due to their partial avian nature. Nowadays it's more of a coastal pegasi dish. Similar to humans with specialty "ethnic" foods. You'll eat it if it's local or you're eating with your foreign grandma or maybe on special occasions, but it's not a dietary staple.
Also, capillurgy is now part of my general headcanon, and will likely be accounted for in any future stories. Speaking of which, is Twilight doing that at the beginning when she's taking notes? Because they say:
And they can't be talking about life pulse, since Pinkie can't do that. Unless Applebloom is just reading over her shoulder and remarking at the fact that she's learned about life drain already, rather than remarking about the fact that she's taking notes in a notable manor.
7181321
Well.
That went dark fast.
7182017
Bolded to clarify what you overlooked.
I was not expecting an update. I thought the first chapter was going to be all you wrote because you couldn't think of a story for the concept. Or am I thinking if something else?
7180704
Powered by Earth?
i.stack.imgur.com/68NeC.jpg
7181591
I have an abandoned idea (which I am slowly implementing into my background of my fics) which is pretty similar to yours, though I used it in a Soul Eater-esq one-shot that didn't really pan out.
(Note: Long story short, some people can turn into weapons, other people (Miesters) wield them)
Earth ponies had the power, but not much ways to cast them. Unicorns had casting, but little power. (Pegasi were in the middle). Some time long ago, because of reasons, combat groups were formed in pairs. The more powerful ones were Earth/Unicorn teams. The Earth provides the power, and the Unicorn, which becomes a weapon, channels it. Pegasi pair up and can wield each other.
The failed one shot had Applejack wielding either Twilight-staff or a Double-bladed sword. Prehensile Tassels the color of their tails wrap around their hooves while in combat. Powerful, sweeping attacks.
Pinkie wield Rarity-rapier (and a hoof cannon). Piercing attacks, and speed.
Fluttershy and Rainbow are a crossbow and rainbow-colored lightsaber, respectively.
The scene was just a random battle that replaced the fight with Nightmare Moon.
That project didn't really get anywhere, but it may get used in the future with the help of a "fusion" spell, that will have one of my characters becoming one with several blades, and being able to near freely switch between forms. His friend, a demonic spirit with wild and barely restrained power wields him.
7043823
I believe that's Triptych, and the whole "hunted" thing was a holdover form centuries ago, and probably no one would give that much of a fuss present day.
7180828 It would explain a lot.
My first thought was maybe Pinkie is a Secret Alicorn. That could indeed be the case, but then Alicorns are something to be happy about. Pinkie was sure happy when Twilight became one after all. However...maybe Pinkie didn't become an Alicorn...maybe...
...maybe Pinkie is more akin to Nightmare Moon than an Alicorn Princess. Perhaps she became an eldritch abomination with a heart of gold?
7180753
Offended? I think you mean 'delighted'.
Also, I suspect they can already do this. What do you think Rock Farms are? Making plants grow them would just be faster.
Can't wait for the experiment, and to learn Pinkie's secret, just don't make us wait as long please?
I was already excited, but then you let slip that Pinkie may literally be some sort of cosmic horror and now it's the thing I'm anticipating the most.
7180642 I KNOW that's happened before. I can't remember the story for sure, but someone did that before and it was awesome. (Celestia Code, maybe?)
I love these original ideas!
I've already progressed to dermatolurgy... where I can make things out of my skin! I learned it from this really nice fellow...
th09.deviantart.net/fs71/200H/i/2013/085/e/7/asura_s_smooth_skin___by_epicemoskittles-d5zelhv.jpg
There was just one side effect...
Silly AJ, you should have known that a 'Puff' can use any and all techniques the plot requires without any experience or training beforehand because they have all the powers because some people seem to think making an infant outrageously powerful and competent in things it would take a normal person decades to master is clever and witty, even though we all know it's a clever strategy... no... not clever... what's the opposite of clever?
*Piccolo shouts* RETARDED!!
Yes! That's it!
So life pulse was what Aslan used in "The Magician's Nephew" then... that explains the trees of gold and silver... and the toffee tree. Only his was HUGE since he'd be directly connected to the Source, able to resonate through an entire planet. Yes, it all makes sense now... everything is falling into place... the jade eye blinks twice... I see...
Clearly, Pinkie's already half-way to a draconequus...
Discord was a pony who absorbed too much life and fused with a bunch of creatures who were nearby and mutated into the chimeric creature who breaks reality. *shrugs* It makes as much sense as any other explanation about him!
7181018
What stories are you talking about? This sounds really cool!
7188718
There are two of my favorites, one is called Random by Bugle and the other is A Darker Shade Of Pink by FanOfMostEverything. Really good stories. In the first one, Pinkie is actually half-draconequus and in the second she's a Spirit of Laughter-based Chaos similar to Discord, but weaker.