//------------------------------// // Seventeen - Train // Story: The Infestation of Canterlot High School // by Bonster //------------------------------// Seventeen - Train After Sunset had risen from her nap, she and Twilight had decided to begin training the humans-turned-pony. They needed to be combat-ready by, well… the sooner the better, really; Chrysalis could attack at any time. Twilight, as the only one with wings and extensive knowledge of magical aviation laws, took it upon herself to teach the pegasi. She also decided, against Starlight’s vehement argument, for Sunset to tutor Rarity. “She’s much closer to her than you are, which is very important,” Twilight had reasoned. “And she certainly isn’t lacking in magical ability, so don’t even try that one.” Once Starlight had acquiesced (i.e. insisted that she didn’t care anyway), Twilight and Sunset had called upon Sweetie Drops to train the earth ponies, which she was more than happy to do. Thus, an hour or so later, Rarity found herself sitting in one of the many rooms of the cavern (this one housing a grid of pool tables) with Sunset, who was telling her to lift an apple. Rarity awkwardly grabbed it in her fetlock. “No, sorry, with magic,” Sunset clarified. “Oh. That makes much more sense. I was about to ask where you were going with all of this.” She gingerly set the apple back on the pool table. Rarity bored holes through the fruit with her eyes for a couple seconds. “Now, I don’t mean to be rude, Sunset, but would you mind giving me some direction here? I would rather not accidentally blast it to smithereens.” “Well, how did you cast magic before?” “I’m not sure. I just kind of… thought the magic out of my horn. It sounds stupid, I know.” “Not at all. That’s exactly how spellcasting works.” “Really?” Sunset nodded. “Magic is all will-based. Unicorns, and other horned casters such as alicorns or changelings, push the magic in their body—in our case, mana, a kind of second blood that circulates deep within all ponies—out into the world through the horn, and from there weave it into a spell. For levitation, try to reach out gently with your magic, and wrap it around the apple. Then you can move it.” “That’s it? No, I don’t know, magic words? Pixie dust?” “I’m only going to be teaching you basic spells, so no. Also, pixie dust is toxic to ponies.” “Right. Well, here goes nothing…” Rarity narrowed her eyes and focused. She allowed the magic to trickle out of her horn, and willed it towards the apple; soon enough, it was floating above the pool table, surrounded in a light blue aura. “Good, good…” Sunset said, watching intently. Suddenly, the apple exploded, covering both of their faces in juicy scraps of fruit. Rarity cleared her throat. “Oh my. So sorry.” Sunset sighed and levitated the apple’s remains off her face. Hopefully Chrysalis would be nice and give them a good few days before attacking. Twilight, Spike forever at her side, had, through thirty minutes of scouring, located a room with a padded floor, ceiling, and walls. It resembled a holding cell in an insane asylum. In other words, it was perfect for Rainbow Dash. The three ponies stood in its center, and Spike sat in the corner, holding a tub of popcorn in one claw and a camera in the other. “I promised some of the my friends in the lounge pictures,” he said, when Twilight asked. “Just pretend I’m not here.” Twilight rolled her eyes and refocused on her friends. “Alright. So what do we know about flying?” Rainbow thrust her hoof into the air. “Ooh!” “Yes, Rainbow?” “It makes you move in the air!” Twilight paused for a second. “…Technically. Anything else?” “You need wings!” “Yes! That’s one of the main components of flight. Keep going!” “It’s totally awesome!” “Rainbow, that’s an opinion, not a fact,” Twilight chastised, frowning. “Fluttershy, do you have any ideas?” She shook her head meekly. “Well, uh, how about we just start with the basics, then?” Twilight began to flap her wings, hovering in the air. “Scientifically speaking, pegasus wings are actually too small in proportion to their bodies to allow for flight. That’s where pegasus magic comes in: your mana flows are more clustered in the wings and hooves, and you can use your magic not only to interact with weather phenomena, but push off the ambient magic in the air for extra lift. This also means you can perform aerial maneuvers that would be otherwise impossible.” Twilight demonstrated by slowly barrel rolling in the air and hanging upside down for a few seconds. “If you want to experiment—” “Yeah!” Rainbow Dash yelled, spiralling upwards. Spike prepared his camera. “…go ahead,” Twilight finished halfheartedly. “Uhh… Are you sure this is safe, Twilight?” “Of course, Fluttershy. The room is cushioned, and I’m here to spot you. I swear you won’t get hurt.” Fluttershy gulped, squeezed her eyes closed, and began lightly flapping her wings, crawling ever so slowly upwards. “There you go! You’re doing it!” “I am?” Fluttershy looked at the ground, all of a foot below her, and yelped; her wings froze to her sides, sending her back onto her shaking hooves. “I-I’m not sure I can do this.” “Sure you can!” Twilight insisted. “Don’t worry, we’ll keep practicing.” “Twilight! Get out of the way!” “Rainbow, what—” Rainbow had exited her side loop a bit too close the ground, and hadn’t been able to turn in time. Twilight didn’t have time to even plan a speedy teleport before Rainbow slammed into her, sending them both crashing into the wall. Spike grinned as the flash of his camera came and went. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Bon Bon were training in the central cavern. Twilight’s magic sofas had been pushed against the wall; “I don’t want to ruin them,” Bon Bon had said. “Earth ponies don’t have horns or wings, but we still have a magic of our own,” she explained. “Just because we can’t cast spells or fly doesn’t mean we’re defenseless.” “Ah know we can grow crops even better than back home,” Applejack said, “but ah don’t see how tha’d help in a fight.” “That is one form of Earth pony magic, yes. But the one we’re going to focus on is our magically enhanced strength.” Pinkie began to bounce. “Oh! Like superman!” “You mean supermare?” Sweetie asked. “Lyra keeps those comics around the house. I guess it’s a similar concept. “By focusing the mana in our bodies into specific places, we can strengthen that area. This has a variety of uses, both offensive and defensive. I can teach you the basics, but the best way for an earth pony to get in touch with their magic is by exercising it. Here, let me give you an example.” Sweetie walked over to the cave wall, turned away from it, and crouched down. “Here’s a kick without magic.” She bucked the wall hard, causing some dust and shards of rock to tumble off. “And now with magic.” She kicked the wall again, but this time, Applejack and Pinkie Pie could feel the vibrations from a dozen feet away. Her buck was as loud as a cannon, and just as powerful: a hole the size of half a pony was carved at the touch of her hooves, and cracks snaked across the stone, web-like and deep; Applejack half expected the wall to plumb give out. Bon Bon giggled at the others’ open-mouthed expressions. “Cool, right? That level of control takes years of intense training; you won’t be able to replicate that… well, ever. But we’ll get as close as we can.” “What would that do to a person?” Pinkie asked, slightly horrified and morbidly curious. Bon Bon giggled some more. “It’s hard to clean up.” Applejack retched. “But that’s not all earth pony magic can do! I need a volunteer. Don’t worry, I won’t injure you.” Pinkie pushed Applejack forward. “Thanks, Applejack!” She scowled at Pinkie. Pinkie smiled encouragingly. “Now, I want you to punch me.” “ ‘Scuse me?” “Punch me!” Sweetie repeated happily. “Preferably as hard as you can.” “Ah can’t do that!” Sweetie Drops rolled her eyes. “Come on, it’s not like you’ll hurt me.” “Well, if ya say so…” Applejack raised a hoof and swung it forcefully into Bon Bon’s cheek. When it collided, instead of the typical giving of flesh that Applejack had expected, it was as if she had punched solid metal—her hoof stopped short, and a burst of pain rebounded back up her leg. “Ow! Hey, you said you wouldn’t hurt me!” She laughed. “I said I wouldn’t injure you. You’ll be fine.” Applejack huffed. “Well, this is good and all, but it ain’t like knowin’ what we can do is gunna help us actually do it.” “Which is exactly why we’re going to practice now. Additionally, we can build up hoof-to-hoof combat skills at the same time.” Sweetie leaned back on her hind legs and stretched out her front, eliciting a series of loud pops. “Ineedtogotothebathroom!” Pinkie shouted, making a break for the exit, only to have a rope wrap around her legs and haul her back. “Oh no ya don’t, Pinkie. You want ‘a beat Chrysalis, right?” Applejack grinned evilly as she reeled Pinkie in. “Ain’t it important t’ stay for the whole trainin’?” This time, Pinkie glared at Applejack. “Great attitude, Applejack!” Bon Bon complimented. “Oh, and that promise about injuring? That’s on standby.” “I see your training went well, ladies.” Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy had met up after their respective practices, and Rainbow Dash didn’t waste any time before showing off, buffeting Rarity with her wings as she flew backwards, sideways, and upside down along the hallway. Fluttershy flapped nervously behind them, only a few feet off the ground and desperately reasserting her balance as they returned to the main cavern, where Pinkie and Applejack should’ve been wrapping up their own session. “You know it!” Rainbow said, flipping in the air. “This is the most fun I’ve had since this whole thing started!” “Mmm.” Rarity smirked. “Well, Rainbow dear, I don’t think even your most dazzling trick can compare to what I’ve learned.” “Ha! We’ll see about that!”  Fluttershy sped up until she was hovering in line with Rarity. “What kind of magic did you learn?” “I’m afraid it shall have to wait until Pinkie Pie and Applejack are around to see it. I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise.” As they approached their destination, Bon Bon trotted past them, presumably on her way to the lounge. She grinned at them jubilantly as she passed. Rarity returned her smile politely, and after she had gone, said, “She was certainly in high spirits.” “I guess that means it went well?” Fluttershy guessed. “Meh. For all we know, AJ and Pinkie died or something, and she can’t wait to go make the headstones.” “Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy admonished. “Don’t say things like that!” “Hey, it’s not my fault that girl’s crazy!” “Oh, hush. We’re almost there.” The three of them entered the expansive room, but didn’t see anyone. Anypony. Whatever. “Yo! Applejack! Pinkie Pie!” “Over here, Rainbow,” Pinkie’s voice called out. It was uncharacteristically mellow, and somewhat pained. Pinkie Pie and Applejack were lying spread out on two of the couches—Applejack had pulled her hat over her face, and Pinkie’s muzzle was white from guzzling vanilla ice cream. Judging by the empty cartons on the floor, she was on her fourth one. She shoved her face in it and groaned as her friends approached them. “My god!” Rarity exclaimed. “What did Bon Bon do to you?” Pinkie groaned some more. “Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked. “Do you need anything?” “Ah feel like granny jus’ baked me into an apple pie.” “Come on, AJ! You’re tougher than that!” Rainbow Dash flew down to her and moved to prod her in the side. But, as soon as she brushed Applejack’s fur, the earth pony reached out, took Rainbow’s hoof in a vice grip, and flipped her upside down, driving her into the ground. “Step off, Rainbow.” Rainbow gaped and rubbed the bruise forming on her head. “That was awesome! Wow, you guys actually did learn something!” “Yeah, she beat it into us!” Pinkie complained, throwing her hooves to the side and accidentally punching her left one straight through the couch without realizing. “That lady’s insane! And I’m me!” Rarity examined the couch’s new hole. “I hate to say it, dear, but her methods certainly seem to be effective.” “Easy fer you t’ say. Ah bet Sunset wasn’t firin’ lasers at ya to get you t’ learn magic.” “I suppose not, but it was just as frustratingly complicated as calculus. Magic’s an awfully abstract concept when you use it, but abominably technical on paper.” Fluttershy perked up. “Oh! Rarity! You were going to show us magic once Applejack and Pinkie were here! Well, if you still want to, that is.” “Of course! Thank you for reminding me, Fluttershy. Prepare to be amazed!” Her friends watching raptly, Rarity began to concentrate. A few seconds later, her horn began to emit an eerie blue glow. Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “That’s it?” “Patience, dear.” The light brightened and flashed, and Rarity whipped her head to the side, firing a series of lasers. They collided against the wall, scorching her cutie mark into being. “There!” Rarity said, breathless. “How’s that?” Rainbow shrugged. “Ehhh, I’ve seen better.” “Uh! Do you have no appreciation for the arts?” Rarity grabbed one of Rainbow’s wings in her magic and jerked it about. “Wha—Hey! Let go!” Rainbow fought to stay airborne, and in a fit of desperation, spat on Rarity’s face. Her concentration broke, and Rainbow shot upwards. “RAINBOW DASH! That was disgusting!” Rainbow only laughed as she dove towards Rarity, a multicolored contrail streaking behind her as she spiraled towards the ground. She turned her wings up at the last second and broke to a sudden stop, sending a gale of wind slamming into Rarity; and, unintentionally, Applejack, flipping her couch over. “Dagnabbit, Rainbow, that hurt!” Applejack picked herself up and glowered at the pegasus. “It’s not my fault you’re such a wimp!” “Oh, I’m a wimp?!” Applejack galloped forward, jumped, and kicked off Rarity’s head with supernatural force, using her as a springboard and sending her straight into the cave floor. “Gah! Why am I friends with such ruffians?” As Rainbow Dash and Applejack locked with each other midair and tumbled to the ground in a wrestle of hooves and fur, and Rarity ran after them with several couch cushions in her telekinesis, Fluttershy joined Pinkie on her couch. “They certainly know how to keep things lively, don’t they?” “Mmhmm! That’s why they’re such great friends!” Pinkie held her meal towards Fluttershy. “Want some ice cream?” As anyone who knew Pinkie would expect, it was excellent ice cream.