//------------------------------// // The Practice of Ball Lifting Magic // Story: An Unexpected Twilight // by Redbow Rose //------------------------------// I sat there with Princess Luna for a little while longer. We said nothing, keeping to our own thoughts. Eventually, however, I decided we needed to move on. Besides, I'm not a hugger, and while I did hug the princess for a while I only did that because I felt it helped her. I was starting to feel extremely awkward, besides...though I've had more hugs in an hour or so than I usually get in a month. I'm hoping it's not some pony instinct. Anyways, I stopped hugging Luna and looked around. "Princess Luna?" I asked, looking at her. "Where are the pencils and paper? I was thinking of writing down some of the things you mentioned in your story to ask about, but I don't know what I'm supposed to write with." The princess levitated a box onto the table. Her magic opened the box and revealed a roll of paper, like a scroll. It was like printer paper, but it seemed a little yellow and the texture of the paper could be seen a bit. Next to the paper on one side of the box was a long quill made of a long, midnight blue feather, as well as an simple inkwell. On the other side I saw a roll of what looked like fabric for ribbons, as well as a partially melted hunk of wax and a metal stamper. Luna levitated the paper, quill, and inkwell over in front of me as I pushed my ball to the side a bit. Unfurling the parchment and popping the cap off the inkwell, the princess smiled at me. "This is were I put everything I need to send my more personal letters, but I think we can use it for your notes at the moment. Do you know how to write, Dawn?" I nodded an affirmative and took the quill in my magic slowly. As I attempted to dip the quill in the ink-pot I remembered something. I didn't have much dexterity at all. Sure, the odd magical surge copied what I assume was Twilight's body's muscle memory, somehow, but the magical dexterity was unaffected. I could do simple things, like levitate objects around or hold them in a spot, but more than that and it gets hard. It's still fine for moving food closer to me, but not for putting it in my mouth without getting messy. Similarly, putting the tip of the elegant quill into the somewhat small hole of the inkwell. Taking it slow, i tried to guide it into the hole. I ended up missing a few times anyways, and it was a few minutes before I got it in at all. "Hmm...it seems you need to practice your magic before you can take notes...unless you can hoofwrite?" A shake from my head answered the princess's question. "I know how to put down the words, but I don'd think I have the precision...unless Twilight can hoofwrite?" I shrugged to my own question. "Either way, it's probably best that I practice my magic. Can't exactly move on if I haven't mastered the basics." "Then perhaps you can use the ball you seem attached to for practice. Levitate it above the table and then move it downwards. Stop the ball before it touched the table surface." Princess Luna demonstrated this by holding my blue ball above the table. She then moved it downwards quickly, but stopped before it impacted. "Start with a slow speed. Once you feel confident in your ability, move it faster. This should help you obtain the control you need." It sounded easy enough, so I grabbed the ball in my magic and did the same as the princess, but at a much slower pace. I was able to stop it, and I smiled to myself. And I thought this was going to be hard! However I was proved wrong. The problem was that my current skill in magic was like using a numb limb. I know I'm gripping the ball in my magic, but anything too fast and I start losing control. When trying to levitate my ball down and catch it faster than before, it ended up bouncing against the table. I frowned and tried again, and again it bounced. The glow around the ball and my horn intensified as I held it firmer in my magical grasp. With a look of focus I pushed the ball down with my magic, and this time I was able to catch it. I felt happy with myself, but Princess Luna was displeased. "Dawn, the point of this practice isn't to use force to make the ball obey. It's to teach you control. Right now you are using enough magic to lift one of the royal guards, just to hold the ball in position. Using force to make spells work will only drain you unnecessarily, and with more complicated spells too much power can cause them to backfire in dangerous ways. You need to learn finesse before anything else. Try again, and only use as much magic as you need to hold it." I grumbled but conceded. I would rather just use magic to solve the problem, but using too much would be like straining a kind of muscle for nothing. So I kept practicing with the ball, continuing to have trouble with it. As I practiced, using different starting heights and speeds to add some variation and interest, Luna watched. Despite how boring my display of magic probably was, she seemed to smile and enjoy it all the same. It was just a small smile, the kind a parental figure gets when watching their kids and simply enjoying being with them. I decided to not look into it too much and kept practicing. After a little while, Princess Luna stood up from her seat, replacing all the objects in her box and putting it back to where it was before. "Excuse me, Dawn, but I must go for now. I have a nocturnal schedule during the week and I have stayed up much later than I usually do. I'll send Twilight or one of her friends to join you if you'd like." "Thanks, I would appreciate it." I gave her a smile, which she returned. With that she started trotting out of the room. "Wait! Princess Luna?" I called out to her before she reached the stairs. She looked back towards me, confusion on her face. "I'm really grateful for what you're doing. It really helps bring some order to all the confusion I feel. I can't wait for my next lesson." Luna's smile came back, a bit wider than before. "Neither can I, even something as simple as levitation has proven to be great fun. I doubt other lessons will be quite as therapeutic however." With a slight chuckle at that, she left the room, leaving me to continue practicing my magic. After a little while longer of using my magic I decided to put my ball down and relax. I started to let my mind wander about the different kinds of spells I might learn eventually when Twilight's pegusus friend came in. The prismatic pegasus gave me a wave with her hoof. "Hey, Dawn." "Hey...Rainbow Dash, right?" She nodded. "Yup, that's me! Fastest flier in all of Equestria!" Normally I'd think she was just blowing hot air, but I was reminded that I was a purple clone unicorn girl in magic pony land. Thus, I didn't comment. "Yeah...I think I remember you saying that." I tried to recall what else was said. "Maybe you should tell me more. I heard plenty about Twilight and Rarity, but you didn't say too much about yourself. What do you do around town again?" "I'm the captain of the Ponyville weather team!" She said pridefully. "I make sure that the weather is in check and on schedule. I also make sure the farms are getting the right amount of water and prevent storms from getting too large. It's a tough job sometimes, but it helps me prepare to join the Wonderbolts!" Deciding to ask Princess Luna about how their weather works later, I instead asked about who the Wonderbolts were. Her fangirl reaction was a bit surprising. "WHAT?! How can you not know who the Wonderbolts are?! They are the best flying team in all of Equestria! You'd have to live on a rock farm to not know about them!" What the...how do you farm rocks? Despite my inner confusion, I gave her a deadpan stare. After a few moments her eyes widened in realization. "Riiiiiiiight...You were pretty much born yesterday..." She blushed and gave me an embarrassed smile. "Ehehehe...sorry. "Well, since you seem to like them so much why don't you tell me all about them?" I soon regretted my request. Turns out she wasn't any old fangirl. She was a fangirl on the border of being a stalker, that's how much she knew about them. From what I was told at first, they seemed pretty cool. In fact, from the color scheme and their jobs, they sounded an awful lot like the old Blue Angels. They flew around for fun, did tricks, and were generally known to be the best of the best when it comes to flying. They were also called in as an elite unit for matters of military intervention and such. The leader of them was called Spitfire, her second in command was named Soarin. After this it went into "creepy" territory, with Rainbow Dash able to recall their favorite foods, colors, stores, and even personal quirks from memory alone. Eventually I couldn't listen to any more of their personal lives and shoved a hoof into her mouth, thankfully doing no damage. "Thats...nice that you like them so much, Rainbow, but can you please tell me why you know so much about them? No offence, but you know way too much and its slightly terrifying and extremely stalkerish." I removed my hoof from her muzzle and wiped her drool on the floor, wishing I had used my magic instead. "Bleh..." Rainbow wiped her mouth where my hoof was. "Well, I really want to be one of them one day, it's been my dream ever since I was a little filly! They are the best fliers, and I want to be one of the best. So I train every day and practice my stunts so that I can join them!" She looked at my back and sighs. "Too bad you didn't get wings like Twilight, then I might be able to show you a bit how I feel." I ignored the fact that her explanation did nothing to say why she knew so many details about their personal lives. "Me too, but I was told that the wings have to 'be earned' first, since no-one is born an alicorn. Still, at least I have magic." Rainbow seemed to think for a moment, an idea appearing in her head. "Hey, why don't I fly you around?" Before I could voice my confusion, she explained. "You don't have wings, but I do. I can carry you as I fly around and give you a taste of being a pegasus!" "Rainbow, that's a terrible idea." "Oh you'll be fiiiiine." Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively. "I've carried 4 ponies at once before no problem!" I still hesitated, since she didn't look like she could carry me. Then again, she didn't look like she would be able to fly herself either. Eventually giving in, I agreed to let her fly me around. Her response caused me to painfully facepalm with my hoof. "Don't worry, with me flying nothing could possibly go wrong!" ~A few minutes later, elsewhere in Canterlot Castle~ Celestia sat on a balcony right outside her personal study, drinking tea with her student. They had spent the time from lunch talking about the upcoming coronation. Twilight had been understandably nervous about the whole situation, but as Celestia explained things out, the purple alicorn began to calm down. Details and plans had always been something that calmed Twilight, and Celestia was happy to help her feel more comfortable. After a while their conversation drifted to more casual topics, such as everyday life in Ponyville, interesting goings on in the Day Court, and Prince Blueblood's recent complaints. Eventually the conversation drifted to Dawn. "I just don't know what to make of her princess." Twilight said to her mentor. "She seems friendly enough, but she is just so...unpredictable it seems. When I asked her name she gave an answer that was deep and thoughtful, then she smiles and tells me she made it up on the spot! Then when talking she went from happy and cheerful to quiet and sad. She just...bounces around it seems, and I don't know how to help her." The sun princess gave a nod in understanding. She too had noticed Dawn's...unpredictability. Still, she knew it was as normal as one could be in such a situation. "Well Twilight, she is likely confused. From what I can tell, the only thing she has from you alone is her looks. The rest of her, such as her soul, magic, and personality comes from you and your closest friends. I doubt that she knows what to feel because everything about her is still settling, and it will likely be a little while before she feels she understands herself. We can help her by showing that she has a place in this world and helping her find where she fits in." Twilight smiled a little. "Hopefully she won't mind moving to Ponyville with me then. It's a great place to make the friends she'll need." "I'm sure she would love to go with you, though she may not like all the...exciting events that seem to occur in that town often." "Don't worry princess! With me and the girls there, nothing will happen to Dawn!" As Twilight said that however, a screaming purple pony plummeted perilously past the two princess's perch, a rainbow colored blur rushing quickly past. "..." "..." "...Princess?" "Yes, Twilight?" "Was that?..." "Yes, I believe so." "Should we...er, check on them?" "Yes, I believe that is a good idea." And with that, Celestia teleported Twilight and herself to to the floor below.