Where It Begins
Chapter 1
Where It Begins
“Twilight. Twilight.”
I grumbled and opened my eyes. My eyelids immediately slammed them back shut the sunlight streaming in the window nearly blinding me in the midmorning sun. I groaned at the instant headache the light provided and turned away from the sunlight and tried opening my eyes once again and ended up staring right into the smiling face of her friend and assistant Spike.
“Come on Twilight. It is time to get up,” he said as he nudged her a few times. “You promised Applejack and Rarity to supervise the Cutie Mark Crusaders get their Zoologist cutie mark in Froggy Bottom Bog.”
I had forgotten. I mutter a faint curse under my breath. Spike gave me another nudge. “I am up Spike. Can you get me breakfast please?” I snapped at him. He recoiled a bit and looked hurt. I immediately felt bad and apologized, “Sorry Spike. You know I am not a morning pony, especially after a night of research.”
He gave a look of understanding and murmured, “Yeah, I know Twi. I will go get you some breakfast.” With that he turned and made his way down out of the room. I closed my eyes and considered just going back to sleep, but Spike’s reminder froze those thoughts. I promised Applejack and Rarity I would supervise the CMC a week ago. They can only hold the girls off for so long, and it isn’t their fault that I got sucked into research…again.
I know I need to learn some self control but the new material on elemental magic that Celestia sent me this week is really interesting. I get off my bed and shake my head at the protests of my sleep deprived body. I step into the shower and start to focus. My horn begins to glow its characteristic lavender. I reach out with my magic and try to feel the water. Still nothing. I sigh and just turn the knob and let the cold water hit my face. The icy chill jumpstarts my body.
I sit under the stream until the water warms up. I start to relax as the warm water covers me. I stare at the water coming out wishing that I could control it. I thought back to the book that Celestia had sent me. Elemental Might. It discussed directing pure elemental magic. Although, I thought that primal force was a way more appropriate name as the term element covered everything. From Cadence’s Love magic to Celestia’s control over light and thus the sun, it was all elemental magic.
Celestia made sure to impress upon me how important that I be careful. The magic is highly restricted as controlling the fundamental nature of the universe. I wasn’t able to do it at all, not for lack of trying. The power felt just outside of my control. I had been struggling with it all night. Elemental magic takes a lot of mental concentration so I had been practicing when everyone had been asleep.
I shook my head again as the warm water threatened to drag me back to sleep. I turned the water off and stepped out to Spike’s yell, “Twilight breakfast is ready. Hurry you are going to be late!”
I smiled again and dried off with the nearest towel. A nearby brush was quickly enveloped in my magic and started to brush my mane as I exited the bathroom and trotted down the stairs to breakfast and the day with the CMC. I smiled as I thought about it. The three fillies could be a handful, but they were more adorable than anything I have ever seen except for maybe Spike when he was freshly hatched.
As I reached the kitchen, Spike awaited me with some toast with zap apple jam from Sweet Apple Acres. After moving to Ponyville this had easily became my favorite breakfast to go. I don’t know what Granny Smith does to make the jam so good, but it is well worth the bits.
“Spike, do you know where I am supposed to meet the girls?” I ask as I start to munch on the toast.
“Yeah. Rarity is keeping them distracted at her place until you get there. I would hurry though. You know how they get.”
“Thanks, Spike. Sorry for being all over the place the past few days, but I really want to learn the new magic that the Princess sent me,” I say with a small smile.
“It is nothing,” he replies a little embarrassed.
I down the last of my toast and follow it with a glass of water. As I pass Spike on the way out of the library, I smile at Spike and say, “I couldn’t do anything without my number one assistant.” I chuckle at the full blush on his face as I step out into the beautiful day.
The parts of my mind that still desire sleep hiss as the bright midmorning sun strikes my eyes, but after the shower and breakfast most of me is awake and ready to face the day. I gaze around my town that have grown to love and a small smile graces my face as I make my way to Carousel Boutique.
-----TSPI: TFC-----
I made good time to Rarity’s house and business. I knocked on the door and was immediately greeted with the owner. Rarity is a gorgeous unicorn mare. Her alabaster coat and violet mane looked like they were made for the catwalk. The look she had on right now was one of pure irritation.
“What do you- Oh! Twilight! Thank goodness you are here I don’t know if I can handle them much longer.”
I smirked at that. “Don’t worry Rares. I got it from here on out.” I stepped into the shop and saw the trio. They were decked head to toe in camouflage gear. They each had put their own touches on it though. Sweetie Belle had a magnifying glass in her pocket and a couple bottles sticking out of her saddlebag. Applebloom had a camera strapped around her neck. Scootaloo was the most amusing with a hat that looked like the one that Rainbow Dash had worn as part of her Daring Do costume last Nightmare Night.
“Twilight! Are ya ready to go?” Applebloom asked when she finally saw me.
“Of course. Are you fillies ready?”
Scootaloo let out a loud YES. With that the three girl squealed, “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER ZOOLOGISTS! GO!” and bolted out the door.
Rarity gazed after them with a mix of relief and worry. I put my hoof around her and whispered, “Don’t worry Rares. I will protect them, but it shouldn’t be necessary since we drove off that hydra.”
As I walked out the door I heard her say, “I hope so Twilight. I hope so.”
I quickly trotted after the girls making sure not to lose them on the way out of town. I knew everything would be fine. After all Froggy Bottom Bog isn’t dangerous anymore.
-----TSPI: TFC-----
Pinkie Pie was going about her morning routine of entertaining Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake while waiting for her cupcakes were baking. She had just rescued Pumpkin Cake from on top of the display case for the third time that morning when suddenly her whole body started shaking.
“The shudders!” Pinkie exclaimed. She looked around trying to find the source of her Pinkie Sense. No one was in the store between the morning and lunch rush except for her and the Cakes. ‘What could that mean?’ she thought. ‘The last time that one happened Twilight began to accept my Pinkie Sense over at Froggy Bottom Bog.’
Pinkie smiled and exclaimed, “OH MY GOSH ANOTHER PERSON WHO IS ABOUT TO SMILE AND LAUGH WITH MY UMBRELLA HAT!” She bolted from the store to try and find who could be kicking off her Pinkie Sense. And to give their complimentary hat.
Pinkie Pie bounced along the streets of Ponyville thinking about who her new friend could be.