Chapter 28: Trouble with Magic
While gaining control over one’s faculties when awake was a challenge in its own right, controlling one’s dreams is an entirely different matter. Rarity couldn't help but curse her mind a little for conjuring such tempting dreams, but as she sat up and looked around, she came to a startling realization. Her tea parties had, due mostly to her own negligence, been entirely ignored, and her weekly spa trips with Fluttershy had been cast aside. In fact, on the whole, she had all but isolated herself within the boutique, and if she were going to make it till whenever it was that her “prince” came to sweep her troubles away, she would need their help.
I know that this is to be expected, what with half of my friends moving towards motherhood... Lives move on, and sometimes ponies drift apart, but I can’t let that happen, not yet. Her mind made up, she threw back the covers, leapt out of bed, grinned at a morning free of a hangover, and set about preparing herself for the day, a process long, tedious, and time consuming. But, honestly, who could expect her just rush out of the house in such an undignified state? Excitement or no, the mare had her priorities, and after treating herself to a luxurious shower, she set about tending to her mane, humming as she did so. She had just finished her hair and was starting on turning her tail from drab to fab when a knock at the door bid her pause.
“Who in Equestria...” she muttered, levitating her brush and myriad of styling products back in place before trotting over to the front of the shop. “I’m sorry, but the boutique is not yet open. If you’d like to make an appointment, please...”
“Appointment? Since when do I need one of those, sis? Come on, we’re waiting!” Sweetie Belle called out. Disregarding her half-kept state of appearance, Rarity threw open the door and welcomed not just Sweetie Belle inside, but Applebloom and a very defeated looking Scootaloo.
“Scootaloo, dear, is it really so bad that...” Rarity started before the filly's outburst cut her off.
“Bad? It’s worse than bad!” she shouted, stomping over to where her friends were sharing a most aggravating laugh at her expense. “Mom caught me in a dress at home, and now she’s teaching me lady stuff, and... and... why does it matter what kinda fork I eat with? Or how straight I sit in a chair? It’s sitting!” Slumping down with a notable slouch, she heaved a sigh and glared daggers at nopony in particular. “I spent all morning with books on my head. Books! I don’t even like reading them, let alone walking up and down the staircase with them on my head!”
“Oh, I remember doing that,” Rarity murmured, remembering back to her foalhood, though her training in etiquette was self-inflicted. “No matter... Sweetie Belle, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”
“Well, I wanted to see how you were doing, and then I met up with Applebloom, and one thing led to another, so... wanna do our manes?”
“Of course. Scootaloo, if it makes you feel any better, you can always say your friends pushed you into it,” Rarity offered, smiling as the filly instantly brightened.
“Yes, of course! They did! Me first, me f...” Dang it, not again! “Ugh, what’s the point in hiding it anymore... everypony knows anyways...”
“Finally, ya got yer noggin on straight. Nopony is gonna care one bit if you get yer mane done all fancy, Scootaloo,” Applebloom encouraged. Motioning them to follow, Rarity laid aside her plans for the morning, as well as her tail, and set about her task. It filled her with a strange sense of gratification, and she couldn’t quite identify why, but she relished it nonetheless. Given that Scootaloo was so reluctantly eager, Rarity started with the tomcolt and worked her way through to the starlet.
Scootaloo’s mane was kept quite short, so Rarity didn’t have as many options as she did with the others, but after some searching through her memory, she found just the perfect style for the blossoming lady. Brushing her mane to the left, she smoothed out the spikes sticking up various directions and curled it, similar to her own fabulous mane though not quite as bold, given her lack of mane, and her tail was given similar curling though not so tight as to look like a drill. Applebloom was a little easier, given that she had mane to work, and Rarity couldn’t help but laugh a little bit as the filly grew nervous the moment her bow was removed.
“Is there anything in particular you’d like, Applebloom?”
“Could you maybe do mah hair up like Applejack’s was at Shining Armor’s weddin’? Ah thought it looked right nice.”
“Are you sure? If I do that, I won’t be able to use your ribbon.”
“Alright then, how ‘bout a ponytail?”
“A ponytail? Applebloom, I mean no disrespect, but... wait a moment...” And without a further word on the matter, Rarity went to work, pulling most of the filly’s hair back into a ponytail, tying in multiple spots with a few ribbons of her own, leaving just a little hair loose to fall down the other side of her neck. Four ribbons instead of one, functional, and classy? Applebloom was ecstatic, and she joined Scootaloo to watch Sweetie Belle’s transformation. Rarity sat deep in thought for a moment, dabbing a hoof at her sister’s curls and nodding. “Sweetie Belle, would you allow me the honor of experimenting a little?”
“Sure thing, Rarity! I trust you.” With free license to work wonders and plenty of hair product to back it up, Sweetie Belle was soon gaping in awe at just long her mane was when uncurled. Not wanting to make it look like wet mane, Rarity left some of the natural curl towards the ends and straightened the rest. Putting in the final touches, Sweetie Belle held nothing but praise for those with fashion sense, and proudly trotted over to join her friends, ready to sport her new look with pride.
A sudden shift in weight, accompanied by the slow removal of hooves, signaled Cerulean’s exit from the bed at an hour a little earlier than normal. This alone wasn’t any cause for alarm, but the way he stopped at the edge of the bed and just sat, saying nothing, sent off warning signals in Twilight’s head. However, in her just-awoken, mother-of-the-highest-maintenance-foal-in-equestria, I’m-still-slightly-worn-to-the-bone state, she didn’t allow herself any more than a soft grunt, to which he paid no heed.
The day just started. His brother is going to spend nearly an entire day over here, so what does he have to be upset about already? Besides, according to Rainbow Dash, he doesn’t even have to worry about giving his brother “the talk.” She watched him carefully as he rose, as much as she could through groggy, bleary eyes, and made his way over to the dresser, pulling out a simple, silver band and sitting back on the bed, staring at the magic limiter. “What has you worried, Cerulean?” she managed, yawning and rubbing sleep from her eyes.
“Everything, really. I mean... I think Whisper will adjust to you and Dawn pretty quickly, but...” He fell silent, searching for the right words. “I thought at first that this magic limiter would, for a time, fix everything. Theoretically, Jade would be able to speak, and he wouldn’t be bothered by his magic anymore... but I can’t help feel that this isn’t the right path to take.”
“There’s a really simple solution to that, you know.” The skeptical glance she received from over his shoulder was slightly irritating, but she let it slide. “Explain the risks and benefits, and let him make the choice. If it turns out to be a bad idea, I’m pretty sure you’ll both know pretty quickly.” Oh, he did NOT just give me the shrug. Unacceptable! Cerulean found himself very hastily yanked onto his back, and as his vision reoriented, he found it dominated by very stern eyes and a devious smile. “Your brother is basically back from the dead, your sister isn’t a skank anymore, and you have a wonderful, pain in the flanks filly to accompany a fiery wife, who may take that term literally if a certain little blizzard of a pony doesn’t cheer up! You have three seconds.”
“Or what?”
“Three.”
“Twi, really?”
“Two.”
“I’m not a foal, you...”
“You’re acting like one,” she whispered, leaning close. “One!” And with that, she asserted her forbidden knowledge pertaining to the more sensitive areas around his ribs, tickling him relentlessly as only she knew how to do. Contrary to his proclamation, he soon found himself unable to do much of anything save squeal like a foal, which roused both Dawn and Spike who gathered to watch the spectacle. Dawn wasn’t one to watch from the sidelines, and readily joined in, forcing Cerulean to restrain his flailing limbs and giving Twilight even more power over his already struggling oxygen intake. Happiness was better than oxygen though, and relief better than functional lungs, so he allowed his “torment” to continue, knowing that he couldn’t go blue in the face.
Eventually, Twilight eased up, and together the parents set about feeding the other occupants, followed with a hasty meal themselves. Spike left to make good on his newly appointed role as Twilight’s student, and Dawn had only ask to receive a good brushing of her hair which, much like Whispers, was quite long, and gave her grief on many an occasion. Despite this, the foal refused the assistance of a razor, and as Cerulean wrapped up, a knock yanked her attention away from her blocks and to the door. Twilight had to teleport into her path to keep the foal from giving their guests for the day a most unexpected welcome.
“Now, remember Dawn, you have to be really, really calm around daddy’s brother. He’s very easily startled, so play really nice, ok?” Twilight cautioned, smiling as her daughter raised a hoof in a loose salute.
“Kay~!” The terms of war had been scribbled in crayon, and Dawn followed them to a tee... for all of five seconds. She would have broken them sooner, but alas, her filly mind was consumed by a single thought - a thought that signaled her subsequent attack and immediate invasion of Whisper’s personal space.
“Hello, Whisper. My name is...” Twilight started before an indigo thunderbolt tore past her and struck the green stallion, leaving him dazed, though not quite terrified, due mostly to the stature of the filly ensnaring his hoof, the fact that Hope had all but melted his heart the day before, and the unabashed look of adoration and amazement stamped on her muzzle.
“Big hair! Really, really big big hair!” There was a loud gasp as the filly mentally kicked herself for taking more than two seconds to realize what this meant. “Brushie time! Brushie time!” Leaving an embarrassed mother, nonplussed stallion and a giggling pegasus, Dawn took off at breakneck pace, and nearly found herself thus as she again became tangled in her own ample mane, bidding Cerulean descend the stairs and tend to his daughter and her smarting nose with a soothing puff of snow. “Buckin hair...” Twilight’s ears shot straight up as she whirled, her husband’s suppressed smile letting her know she had indeed heard their daughter’s utterance correctly, who yet remained to hit the one year old mark, muttering such words.
“What? Don’t look at me like that, Twi, you say it too.” Stomping to where Cerulean sat cradling his brave little soldier, he attempted to steal a little confidence for himself as Twilight gave him a very good impersonation of Fluttershy’s stare, although it was more a glare than anything else.
“Cerulean, if I hear our daughter say that again, you’re both in trouble, understand?” He searched her eyes for a moment, realized that she was still in good spirits, and gave her a cheeky grin before lifting his filly in front of him, his face serious.
“Dawn? Please don’t say ‘bucking’ like that, or daddy may go bye bye. Mommy doesn’t like that word.”
“Why mommy no likes bucking?”
“Oh, she likes it ple...” Hmmm, now THAT is a glare. “It’s inappropriate to say when you’re not an adult,” he instantly covered, saving his wife’s good graces. Dawn swept the matter aside, struggling free and again throwing caution to the wind, tearing up the stairs and into the bathroom to look for her brush.
“Fluttershy? Twilight is scary. Can I go home now?”
“Um, I’m sorry Whisper, but you need to stay. Twilight is actually very nice, but I guess she can be a little frightening when she’s, well, being a mother.” Forgetting she had an audience with an extremely skittish pony, Twilight instantly calmed herself, not actually being all that upset, and trotted back over to Whisper with a warming smile.
“Sorry about that, Whisper. Come on inside, and sorry about the mess.” Living in the veritable jungle that was Fluttershy’s critter-infested cottage, the stacks of books were of little consequence to Whisper, who found himself suddenly engrossed in staring at all of the strange squiggles marking the pages of a tome laying open just near the couch. His concentration was suddenly broken by the romp of tiny hooves on a mission to give Whisper a Dawn-certified grooming, and without time to even conjure a subliminal response, the emerald unicorn watched in awe as the brush suddenly doubled in size before starting in on his hair. Having been well trained, he dutifully sat up straight and remained still.
“Fluttershy, what method are you using to have my brother so well trained already? I sure could use that kind of technique on a certain little unicorn here. Oh, and Dawn, too,” Cerulean snickered.
“Strange, all I have to do is mention ‘library fines’ and you instantly...” Twilight purposefully trailed off, noting the expected blush rising to her stallion’s cheeks with affectionate amusement. Cerulean took a moment to appreciate Twilight's subtle attempts at keeping his spirits high, and after a brief nuzzle he turned his attention back to his brother. Whisper was listening quite intently as Dawn praised his mane and the color contained within, the two blends of green meshing together in spots to make an entirely new color rather than the well-defined streaks of teal within her own. Rather than interrupt the two, Cerulean and Twilight cantered over to Fluttershy, who made no effort to suppress her smiles. “He really seems taken by Dawn,” Cerulean murmured, watching the two bond.
“He really likes kids. I bet he’ll make a great father someday.” There was a moment’s silence as Cerulean and Twilight both shared a knowing look, but seeing that Fluttershy hadn’t even noticed her implication, they left it alone. There weren’t many mares, if any, that could come close to Fluttershy’s level of innocence, and they weren’t about to mention anything that could sully it. Eventually, Whisper’s grooming came to an end, and while Dawn was pleased with how quickly the stallion picked up on the proper use of building blocks, she had began to wonder why he was using his hooves.
“Whisper, why you not use magic?” Cerulean sighed, knowing that perhaps the biggest hurdle of the day was fast approaching, and rather than let it wallow in the back of his mind, he dredged it up, preparing himself for what may lay ahead.
“Dawn, Whisper has strange magic that sometimes makes a mess,” Cerulean said softly. “Baby brother? I have something important I need to talk to you about, ok? You too, Fluttershy.” Once they were both together, he took a deep breath and continued. “Back when Jade... Whisper, sorry, was in the hospital, I asked Princess Celestia for a horn limiter. Basically, it’s a device for sealing away a unicorn’s magic. Because Whisper was hurt, I didn’t want to use it right away, but now that he’s recovered, I wanted to present you with an option.” Fluttershy nodded, waiting patiently for him to explain further.
“Whisper, if you wanted, you could use the horn limiter and talk normally. I don’t really see there being any problems, unless you had a very strong emotional spike and your magic broke the limiter. It’s very difficult, which is why they are still used, but should that happen, you’d likely lose your horn, and if there were other ponies around, they could get hurt really bad.”
“No.”
“Let me finish, Whisper. If you were calm, then it wouldn’t be an issue, and you could talk normal. You could laugh and sing, just like you used to, but you wouldn’t be able to use any kind of magic. It’s up to you, Whisper. I have my own... misgivings on the subject, but the choice is yours.” An uneasy silence descended as the stallion gave it due thought. Just the thought of hurting other ponies, or that being a possibility, was enough initially to make him refuse it outright. But the allure of being able to talk to Fluttershy was great, and against his better judgement, he swallowed hard as he looked back at Cerulean.
“I’d... like to try it, if that’s ok.” His brother nodded and trotted upstairs as Fluttershy grew nervous.
“Um, Whisper? Are you sure this is a good idea? I don’t mind waiting. You know, until you get your voice back the normal way.”
“I know, Fluttershy, but I want this for you. Just let me try, ok? If it... doesn’t work out, then I’ll never use it again.” It eased her mind a little, as did his comforting nuzzle, but she found her breathing shallow as Cerulean returned.
“Whisper... if anything doesn’t feel right, let me know and I’ll take it off immediately, ok?” Whisper nodded, trying to keep his nerve as the ring slid over his horn and activated. He didn’t feel anything at first, and for just a split second, he thought he may have found an easy out, but his smile quickly faded as he was plunged into a world of uncertainty and silence. His magic, controlled or not, wasn’t just in charge of his communication, but also his ability to sense the emotions with others. He had no idea just how much he had come to rely on it until it suddenly disappeared, and for the first time since he had met Fluttershy, he felt truly alone.
“Brother, take it off... please, make it stop!” Wait, that’s right, he can’t hear me... But I’m so scared... if I speak, it might explode. Fluttershy, Cerulean... Dawn... No, I can’t... Cerulean noticed the shift immediately, and he gently caught his brother’s frantic hoof as he tried to pry off the device, sealed in place by a spell known by very few outside of the royal guard. A tap of Cerulean’s horn and quick spell rendered the limiter inactive, and he quickly slipped it off as he held Whisper close, his messages fragmented as his mind struggled to shrug the feelings of isolation that had threatened him once more. It wasn’t until he found himself locked in a massive group hug that he felt his anxieties began to ease, and he let the tension in his limbs drain away as his magic let the feelings of comfort and care come trickling back in like a soothing cascade.
Anypony, regardless of upbringing, save perhaps a scholastic shut-in under royal instruction, can look back on their youth and remember having crushes that burned oh so fiercely. For Spike, he was well aware that he had a fixation on Rarity, though it had waned as his mind matured past his body. While young for a dragon, he had been with Twilight since she was just a little filly, and he’d learned a lot of things. What he hadn’t learned yet was how to deal with suddenly finding that it wasn’t just his long standing crush that made his head swirl, but now the three fillies stepping out of the boutique, a certain unicorn with a talent for singing standing out amongst them all.
“Hey look, it’s Spike! Ah wonder what he’s doin’ ‘ere?” Applebloom exclaimed as she stepped out the door with her friends in tow, followed shortly after by Rarity, looking fabulous as usual. The three friends rushed over to find not a dragon, but an incoherent babbling idiot that had somehow found its way into the mind of a dragon they knew to be cool, energetic, and always one to give his two bits on any given matter. Unfortunately, due to the wealth of beauty surrounding him and a strange fire that apparently flared bright enough even he could feel it, he simply stared from face to face.
“Dang it, I knew somepony was going to stare!” Scootaloo moaned, blushing and covering her face with a hoof.
“Ah don’t think it’s just you, Scootaloo. Spike, you all right?”
“Duh... huh?”
“Is he... Spike, you’re drooling. What’s gotten into you?” Sweetie Belle asked, already having a fair idea of why exactly he saw fit to let his jaw hang loose.
“Oh Spikey-wikey~!” Rarity called, trotting over. “Make sure you treat them like ladies. Especially my Sweetie Belle, all right?”
Sure, Rarity. I’ll get right on that... as soon as I can move again! Oh man, I never expected... well, this! Come on, Spike, you can handle this! Holding up a claw, he slowly turned his back to them, stuffed his tongue back into his mouth, wiped away the excess spittle, and slowly turned back to face the trio, clearing his throat. What I wouldn’t give for my moustache right now... Unfortunately, his biggest problem was attempting to think as he couldn’t unsay what came out next. “Wow, Sweetie Belle, you... I really like your... moustache!”
“He likes yer what, now?” Applebloom murmured, glancing across at Sweetie Belle who couldn’t figure out whether to be flattered, offended, or simply ruin her sister’s work by falling to the ground in a fit a laughter. Rarity made it terribly difficult not to choose the third option, trotting over and patting Spike on the head.
“And that, my dear fillies, it what happens when a young colt, or dragon, as it were, suddenly finds himself confronted by three charming ladies such as yourselves. Don’t hold it against him, all right? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. Tata~!” As Rarity trotted away, Spike was left at the mercy of the Crusaders, and despite his fragmented state of mind, one thing rang out clearer than the rest: this day was going to make an interesting report.
Leaving Spike on the proving grounds of bachelorhood, Rarity made her way towards Sugarcube Corner. If anypony could guarantee her plans be lively and full of festivity, there was only one mare to talk to, and since she hadn’t taken the time to eat anything, Rarity found herself walking briskly to the counter, where she greeted Mrs. Cake and asked about Pinkie’s whereabouts. Not surprisingly, the bubbly mare was hard at work in the kitchens, but Rarity was immediately concerned as she noticed a lack of pep in the mare’s motions. Sure, she was swift, turning out sweets at a still alarming rate, but there was no humming, no singing, not even any dancing to accompany her actions.
“Pinkie? Is something the matter?” She froze in place for a moment, turned and looked at Rarity for a split second before reverting to her usual self.
“Nope! Nothing at all! I’m a little surprised to see you here, Rarity. Don’t you normally stay away from sweets?”
“There’s nothing wrong with indulging some sugar every now and then. Besides, I have a request to make, and only you are qualified to assist. How do you feel about throwing a party?” In truth, there was nothing Pinkie would have liked more, and she soon found herself on the floor rubbing her smarting skull while the ceiling lamented its newly formed cracks.
“I always thought that thing was low. So, who’s it for? How many ponies? How full should I stuff the party cannon?!?”
“Well, I do not know just yet. I was planning on trying to get all of the Elements together, though I imagine those with significant others will come as pairs. Add for unexpected entries and extended family... Perhaps twenty, maybe more? I do not know if the rest can attend, as you are the first one I’ve asked.” Rarity couldn’t say for what reason Pinkie suddenly embraced her, but it didn’t mess up her mane or leave any marks, tight though it was, so Rarity accepted and returned the motion, wondering just what had gotten into the mare.
“Thanks, Rarity.” While the words themselves made perfect sense, Pinkie’s alarmingly serious tone of voice gave the mare cause for worry.
“Pinkie, are you sure that...”
“I’m ready to par-tay? Yes! Just leave everything to me! Round up the guests and then come let me know what’s going down!” Resuming her baking duties with renewed vigor, Rarity watched for a few more moments before heading back into town, the pink mare’s enthusiasm bolstering her own. Her soft humming drew to a close as she found the carrot stall closed and a certain orange maned mare nowhere to be seen. I know I was harsh. I don’t regret what I said, and I shouldn’t find it so odd that she would close early, but if it’s because of me, then... well, I suppose I was a mite threatening. I should probably at least make an apology... Hmmm, perhaps after I deliver the invitations...
It was decided that the issue of Whisper’s magic would be temporarily set aside, given his scare with the limiter, and Cerulean allowed a slight breach of the norm by making pancakes for all. Whisper watched the process start to finish, asking questions and gleaning every ounce of information to be had from his brother. To say that he found the sweet breakfast food acceptable to his palate was an understatement, his bouncing in place at the table giving Fluttershy a slight cause for concern, worried that he may give himself indigestion from his nearly constant movement. After receiving a syrupy pat on the head signalling Dawn’s approval of his love for flapjacks, breakfast drew to a close, and Fluttershy sat next to Twilight and Cerulean as Whisper gave the indigo filly his full attention, her eager spirit mirroring his own.
“So, Fluttershy, is he like this at home, too?” Twilight asked, watching as Whisper declared a coloring contest, of which the reigning champion was quite sure she would win.
“You mean really energetic and excited about, um, everything?” Fluttershy clarified with a grin. “Yes, more and more he’s starting to be less afraid of the world. It’s really great to watch...” Twilight glanced over, confused as to why the mare had let her words trail off like there was more to say and finding her deep in thought.
“Fluttershy, is there something on your mind?”
“Um, well, I don’t know... maybe?” Cerulean and Twilight both shared a curious look. “I guess that there probably is, but I’ve been trying not to think about it...” Fluttershy grew a little more nervous as Cerulean whispered something to Twilight, who nodded and stood.
“Come on, Fluttershy. Let’s go for a walk and figure this thing out. Whisper?” Unused to being addressed by Twilight, he snapped his head up, twitching his ear a moment before turning towards the lavender mare with a crayon still held loosely between his teeth. “Is it alright if I take Fluttershy shopping for a little bit?”
“Um, sure, I guess. Will you be back soon? I mean, it’s ok if the answer is no, but I really like having her near.”
“I don’t know how long we’ll be gone, but hopefully it shouldn’t be too long. Don’t worry, I’ll tell Cerulean to be nice to you while I’m gone, ok?”
“Ok!” Begging Dawn’s pardon, he set the wax color transference device aside and cantered over to give Fluttershy a goodbye hug, nuzzling her cheek and wishing her well. Fluttershy cast a fond glance from the doorway before stepping out with Twilight and making straight for the market place.
“So, um, what are you shopping for?” Fluttershy asked, not terribly enthusiastic about trying to figure out what exactly was on her mind. Unfortunately for the hesitant mare, Cerulean had a habit of bottling things inside at times, and Twilight had developed a no-nonsense, straight to the point approach to dealing with problems.
“Shopping is secondary. My primary goal here is to help you get things sorted out in your head. So come on, talk to me,” Twilight quipped, setting an easy pace.
“Twilight, I really, really don’t think...”
“Nope, no excuses!” Twilight declared cheerfully, giving the mare a reassuring smile. “You’ve got a problem, and I want to help fix it. I know I’m not Rainbow Dash, but you can still trust me, ok?”
“Twilight, I never said anything about Rainbow Dash! You’re a really good friend too, I just...”
“Fluttershy, it’s fine. You’ve known Dash for a long time, and you’re very close. I’m not hurt by that, just so long as you don’t push me away.” Twilight’s understanding went a long way in easing Fluttershy’s misgivings, and realizing that she wasn’t going to escape her fate, she yielded, falling silent as she attempted to find a place to start. The lavender mare beside her respected her silence, and after a few minutes, turned towards the anxious pegasus as she spoke up.
“I’m... worried, I think. About Whisper and I...”
“Worried? About what, exactly?”
“I don’t know. I guess I just don’t feel like I’m very exciting. I mean, Whisper is becoming very, very energetic, and he thinks that everything around him is wonderful. With so many different things making him smile, I just don’t see... how a quiet mare like me could keep his attention for very much longer...”
“Fluttershy, that’s ridiculous. And no, I’m not just saying that to cheer you up,” Twilight stated confidently, standing in her friend’s path and speaking softly. “That stallion is more fixated on you than Rarity is on shiny things, and that’s a fact. Listen, Fluttershy, I don’t know Whisper at all, so I know you may be hesitant to accept the word of somepony that just met him, but...” she paused, placing a hoof on the doubting pegasus’ shoulders. “Fluttershy, Cerulean has told me all about Whisper and how he was at your house. ‘Those two haven’t known each other very long, but already I’m sure that they are deeply in love,’ were Cerulean’s words. And Fluttershy?”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Don’t sell yourself short. There are far too few mares like you in the world, and nopony in their right mind would ever leave somepony so kind.” Twilight matched Fluttershy’s smile, her eyes communicating without words her thanks for the encouragement. It didn’t completely rid her of doubt, but she found herself light-hearted once more, at least until Twilight turned it into indignant embarrassment. “Also, you’re not quiet. I’m pretty sure they heard you all the way down in Baltimare when you shouted at the ponies that were trying to get Crimson’s ring.”
“Twilight! They did not. And, well, they deserved it,” Fluttershy defended, trotting ahead.
“That they did. Come on, let’s have some fun!” Unsure of what qualified as “fun” but eager to try, Fluttershy increased her speed to a gallop as Twilight took off, her worries drifting off to the back of her mind.
Unfortunately, said worries seemed to find their way into Whisper, who was at that time being given a very basic introduction into magic theory. Cerulean expected his trepidation, and after his brother looked over at the door yet again, he decided to take action. Calling his brother’s attention to himself, he closed his eyes halfway and released a small bit of magic, creating a small sculpture of ice that bore a striking resemblance to Fluttershy, though before he could use it for its intended purpose a certain little filly snatched it over and immediately added an occupant to her book fortress, desperately in need of a guard. Whisper’s frown at having his idol snatched away soon disappeared as yet another, slightly larger figure of his favorite pony formed, and after enchanting it to resist melting, he levitated it over to his brother’s side.
“There, see? Fluttershy is watching over you, so relax.” It had its intended effect, and Whisper returned his attention to Cerulean. “Now, even when you remembered everything, you struggled with controlling your magic for little things, but I don’t think it’d be safe to try and let you use the magic in your heart just yet. So, first, let’s try teaching you levitation. Do you remember the spell?”
“No... I only remember that moment on the beach. Maybe I’d remember more if you sang again? It was a really nice song.”
“Perhaps another time, I’ll try that. Hmmm... Can you read?” Green hair temporarily obscured the stallion’s vision as he shook his head, a hoof drawing back the curtain to find Cerulean deep in thought. “I guess I could always just transfer my memory of the spell directly... Yeah, I think that’ll be the best way. Whisper, come sit in front of me, please.” Grabbing his figurine in his mouth, Whisper plopped down in front of Cerulean and set her down with the utmost care, amazed that it didn’t feel quite as cold as he imagined it would have.
“Ok, what next?”
“Just sit still and close your eyes. I’m going to share a memory with you.” The idea was fascinating to Whisper, who eagerly complied and sat staring at the black, waiting for a picture to arrive. What he felt instead was suspicious at best, and he grew horrified as he opened his eyes to find Cerulean pressing his horn to his own. Now, Whisper wasn’t aware that terms like “incest” even existed, but he wasn’t allowed to let anypony save Fluttershy, much less his brother, touch his horn. That area was off limits, and determined to maintain his purity, the spooked stallion yanked his head away, stumbled backwards, and tore up the stairs. “What the... wait, Whisper, where are you going?” Cerulean called out, bewildered.
“I’m telling Fluttershy you were touching my horn! That’s a no-touching spot, Storm said so!” Allowing a soft facehoof, Cerulean wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cringe at what his action had been marked as.
“Whisper, come back down!” he called out, stopping at the base of the stairs.
“No,” Whisper sent, popping his head into view and staring down as his defiler.
“Look, I was just trying to transfer my memory, and there has to be a connection, ok? It wasn’t anything like... ugh, that...” Cerulean asserted, shuddering at the thought.
“Wasn’t anything like what, huh little brother?” Crimson chimed in, not bothering to knock and waltzing over.
“Nothing, sis, I was just...”
“Crimson, make him stop! Cerulean was touching my horn!” Whisper pleaded, peering at the mare from the second story with a smile on his face.
“Oh ho, was he now? Cerulean, even at my worst, I never...”
“And neither did I, would I, or could possibly ever even consider it, ok?” Cerulean shouted, stomping a hoof.
“But you did,” Whisper pointed out, no longer upset but finding his brother’s facial expressions from their sister’s entrance quite entertaining. “Crimson, protect me!” Even had she not been spurred on by her joy at being requested to assist over Cerulean, even given that he was the target, Crimson would have readily agreed to the request anyway, and a red flash landed Cerulean on his back near the door, his sister’s teleportation magic being used for nefarious purposes.
“You know, I make it a point not to threaten mares, but you’re my sister, and therefore you do not fall under the protection of that creed.”
“Oh dear, is the big, mean stallion going to get me?” The ensuing magic battle was extremely low scale, but to Whisper it was the grandest display of mind-boggling unicorn awesomeness he’d ever seen, his eyes glued to the action as he resolved not to miss a single bit. Cerulean could easily have trumped his sister, being far more learned in magic than she, but he meant her no real harm. Besides, as he took a moment to glance at the steps and saw the wonder stamped on Whisper’s face, he set about adding quite a bit more flair than he normally would allow, resulting in a rather large snow mess which added a third combatant to the mix. Cerulean grew concerned for his daughter’s safety, but true to her name, Crimson used her Glitter Burst spell to flood the room with shimmering lights, occupying Dawn and causing her no end of amazement.
Calling a ceasefire, Cerulean created a small blizzard, the wind and snow mingling with the scarlet lights to form a dazzling maelstrom that utterly wrecked the library, and gave Whisper a newfound fascination with magic. As the spells dissipated, Cerulean turned to find Whisper romping through the snow towards them, his face alight as he all but stabbed Cerulean in his haste to accept, just this once, Cerulean’s uncouth memory transfer method. Whisper stared straight ahead as the knowledge sunk in before turning his attention to a book, his eyes narrowing as a commanding focus encompassed his being. Pouring all his effort into the action, and after a few moments of straining, a faint green aura appeared around the book. Then, as it looked like he were about to succeed, he lost control and let out a burst of magic, tearing the cover from the book and leaving him borderline traumatized that he had turned a basic spell into something dangerous.
“Whoa, easy there, Whisper. I don’t know what happened, but you let out way too much magic at once. Here, let’s have you try again with this,” Cerulean encouraged, forming a solid sphere of ice about the size of a baseball. Whisper nodded, his magical aura surrounding the orb for a moment before again, he put out too much magic and shattered it. Cerulean stared at the shards for a moment before turning back to his brother who looked all the world like he had just blown up another house, and it was impressed upon Cerulean that his brother’s path to controlling his magic would be long and arduous indeed.