//------------------------------// // Magical Girl // Story: Making Family // by Cirrus Sky //------------------------------// Keeping in practice was the best way to retain magical power and build it up. Sunset knew this from her early days. She'd not had a chance for the longest time, here in the world beyond the mirror. However, that little spark was there now. A little spark that Sunset had been working on for months. In her home hidden in an abandoned building she had practised with candles and flame, then other little spells. Eventually they had become second nature to her once more. After the boost of actually accepting everything she was and had been, she'd become even more adept. Only where she felt safe though. Amongst friends when no one but the girls would see, or at home where she was free to play around with the magic safely. Though, she'd not really told her Mom and Aunt about it. The magic, her power. Sunset wasn't sure why, she just hadn't thought of how to bring it up. “Yeah sure, sweet potato pie and green beans sounds great for dinner. Oh. By the way I can do real magic. Even when I'm not saving the world with pony ears on.” Didn't seem right. Not to mention she was still in the process of working it all out, how it worked in this world. So it came as a surprise to everyone when Celestia discovered the little “secret”. -*- Sunset was working at the kitchen island. With some homework it helped to be close to supplies for brain food. An apple sat by her book and a pencil was in her hand. The notebook she had on top of the textbook was already full of notes on history. History was the bane of her school days. While she had caught up eventually on what she had to know, it had taken time that had dropped her GPA in the subject to such a depth it looked impossible to raise it. However she had a chance for extra credit; the essay to end all essays. She was going to do this the Twilight Sparkle way too. Asking the Princess for research advice had sent the alicorn into an excited tizzy “None of my friends have ever asked for advice on researching!!” A ream of papers had been delivered through the portal and Sunset had an excellent guide to research and essay writing. All with correct source listing, advice on her own citations and the best way to format the document too. All well and good. But Sunset still had to write the thing. “Make a draft in pencil, correct spelling mistakes but leave words you chose not to use, they may end up fitting better when you re-draft.” Sunset said aloud, hints of Twilight's tones in her minds-ear. Starting to write in her notebook, she grabbed the apple for a bite and looked to the history book for the right reference. A child of Equestria, the traditional note taking was what she was most comfortable with. Typing came later. Celestia found her daughter working hard in the kitchen. She smiled, it seemed that they shared a requirement to snack while hitting the books. There was an apple with a fair few bites out of it and Sunset was scribbling away in a notebook. “Darn, worn right down.” Sunset grumbled as she looked at her pencil, it was blunted and she'd forgotten a sharpener. “Ah well.” She mumbled and span the pencil in a pattern a few moments. Celestia watched, unnoticed by the girl, amazed at the intricate spinning pattern. Then she started writing with the pencil again. “How?” Celestia asked, stunned. Sunset looked up in surprise. “Hi Mom, I didn't see you there...” Sunset trailed off as her mother stood beside her to examine the pencil. “You wore it down and now it's sharp after some spinning?” Celestia took the pencil and looked closely. “Um, I used magic.” Sunset said slowly, watching for the reaction. She knew it wasn't something she had exactly told her mother of. “Amazing.” Celestia said. “Is there more you can do?” She took a seat next to her daughter, still looking between the girl and the pencil. “Just small things, nothing quite as flashy as what happened at the games.” Sunset snapped her fingers and a flame lit above them. Watching her mother's face, Sunset wove the flickering orange light through her fingers and then left it to dance on her palm. Celestia reached for the flame and stopped in surprise. “It's warm.” She smiled and watched the flame grow from a little orange tongue to a ball like a miniature sun. Sunset held it in the palm of her hand and moved to face her mother. “Hold out your hands.” Sunset smiled and Celestia cupped her hands level with the tabletop. “Here.” Carefully, she passed the ball of flame from her palm to her mother's hands. It didn't take lots of magic to keep it there safely. “Sunset, this is amazing.” Celestia was gazing in wonder at the tiny sun she was holding. With a grin of her own, Sunset lifted the ball of fire up to her hands again and with a tiny blow it disappeared in a flicker of sparks. Celestia applauded. “I can do some pretty awesome card tricks too, but conjuring is more Trixie's thing.” Sunset was shy from the praise. “Do you think Aunty Luna would like to see too?” “She'd love it.” Celestia had her hands clasped together. “You have to show her when she gets home.” “Okay.” Sunset turned back to her work. “But I really have to get this essay drafted.” “Wonderful.” Celestia left Sunset to work, still buzzing from the joy the magic had brought about. Luna would really love to see some magic too, real magic had long been her dream. Another wonderful part of the person Sunset was.