//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: How to Friendship a Comet // by Fylifa //------------------------------// “We call it Bond. At least in the time when I learned of it.” Luna and Twilight were resting side by side on the mooncastle roof. The location provided a good view of both the moonscape, Equestria and the comet soaring overhead. When the air necklaces mingled they also shared the warmth and presence of the other pony. Twilight thought it felt like being huddled under a blanket together. “Why did they stop teaching if it’s so fundamental and important?” Twilight asked, she was still a little bouncy from her revelation, but now her rational self craved details. Luna shook her head and replied, “That is a conundrum is it not? After I visited you in the dream I did not understand how you, of all ponies, could not know.” Twilight grumbled, “Princess of Obliviousness, that’s me!” She wiggled then when Luna reached with a hoof to stroke her mane. “‘Twas by my sister’s design and I think I now know why. Bond is powerful magic, but like any magic it can be misused,” said Luna as she looked over to Twilight. “Consider this: Tirek was a Bond user who forced connections to draw magic from ponykind. Whereas Changelings are an entire race that live on tricking others to create bonds with them so they can feed on that channel.” Twilight shifted uncomfortably, thinking of Shining Armor and how Chrysalis sapped her brother’s wits and life. “Is that why it makes me feel... well giddy? When I found the Bond in the stone I… um. Is it dangerous?” She’d felt supernaturally happy enough to kiss Luna, what if she had did more than that in-the-moment slip? “The magic often mirrors the relationships that create them. ‘Tis harmless if mutual, but if one side is malignant then there is a problem. There exists a pleasant happenstance in the fact that those who are unaware of Bond mechanically make use of its power through friendship and love. You, yourself Twilight are an accomplished Bond user. Twilight’s eyes grew wide as something clicked. “You mean It’s harmony too?” “Harmony is an expression of it. Remember Twilight, your power came not from gem trinkets but from the connections you have made with your friends. The Elements of Harmony simply help focus that force.” Twilight turned that thought over. In her adventure through the dimension mirror she had only the element of magic with her in the form of the crown. Yet all her Canterlot High friends were able to do what their Equestrian counterparts could without the rest of the elements being physically present. Later on, Sunset mentioned that their world’s Twilight built a device that could combine magic in much the same way. “Wouldn’t it be better if ponies knew? Tirek and changelings were awful. But if they know this by their nature, if ponies knew maybe we could come up with defenses or wards?” Twilight’s sensibilities railed against keeping knowledge away and secret. It felt wrong to her. Luna took the time to look upward once again, watching Equestria hang like a cloudy sapphire. “There is one more aspect of Bond that you should know about,” Luna began before taking a breath, “No pony is an island and no pony is without magic. When united we bring order to the world when apart... well I am certain you hear of it every Hearth's Warming Eve. Unicorns may project magic, but every earth pony and pegasus is as magical in their own right. Any pony has the potential to become an alicorn and they do so through the Bonds they make with others.” Twilight stared, hadn’t it been Celestia who had ascended her? She thought back to the time with Celestia in the dreamworld, but another memory became clearer: Before meeting Celestia, Twilight’s friends had gathered in the library to watch her finish Starswirl’s spell. They were wearing the elements and when the spell finished... it had focused the power of her friends onto her. Now that Twilight thought about it. Celestia didn’t do any actual magic aside from being sweet and singing her that song. Did she simply buy time for the wings to sprout on their own? Luna watched Twilight’s contemplation before adding more. “While Bond is not so easily manipulated without friendship and magic there are those who could have the skill but not the empathy. Starswirl was one on the cusp with his unfinished spell, but think of your predecessor or to a pony as brilliant as Starlight.” That made the hairs on Twilight’s nape stand up. While Sunset was good now and the best friend a pony or human could ever have... she had corrupted herself into a demonic abomination of twisted harmony. While Starlight already could manipulate pony cutie marks and rewrite a Starswirl time spell. Twilight had been working hard to straighten her out, but it was dreadfully easy to imagine Starlight with alicorn wings on a throne flanked by equality banners. The idea tested Twilight’s impulse to think of harmony or Bond as ‘good’ magic. Magic was mechanical and flowed like water in expected ways if you built the right pipe for it. It made Twilight a little sad. Luna gently touched Twilight’s cheek with a hoof when she saw Twilight’s expression fall. “You are no less special for what you have done. I also did not intend to give only bad examples. Your sister, Cadance is one who mastered Bond magic as a pegasus through the power of her heart and what she inspired in others. I imagine without her help my own sister would have succumbed to stress.” Twilight smiled with the thought of Cadance though something nibbled at her. “Cadance doesn’t know about Bond does she? Celestia moved the sun and moon all by herself for ages and Cadance never took over when Celestia couldn't move either of them.” Luna shook her head. “I am sure she knows of it by instinct like a master craftspony telling the species of wood under hoof. I suspect by her nature and now with her experiences with the changelings she likely would shy away in any direct manipulation of it via magic.” Twilight nodded, that solved another riddle of why the comet was given to her and not Cadance. Her foalsitter was Equestria’s cheerleader, often doing the pomp and circumstance society demanded of royalty. Twilight now knew that Celestia often hated the parties and worship. Cadance deflecting some of that must have helped keep the solar ruler sane over the years. Twilight took a turn in prodding Luna with a hoof and teased, “Now that she’s in the Crystal Kingdom it must be a chore picking up where she left off, huh?” “Waking up at any hour of the day to allow my sister her lunch and bath breaks? Presiding over the Hearts and Hooves day celebration with ponies trembling at the idea of getting their rewarding kiss from the former Nightmare?” Luna snorted, muzzle becoming wry as she said, “Not to mention how sister has been spoiled by that pink mare. Celestia has grown so insatiable that I have had to call upon Cadance several times to help. She is certainly your kin now, being just like a Sparkle with twelve new inventions a day on the art of buc—” “L-LUNA!” Twilight interrupted desperately. She had giggled at the grousing up until where the conversation took a left turn and galloped off an unexpected cliff. She tried to scramble back up said cliff with some sense. “Cadance is married.” Luna broke off her demonstration with her hoof’s circular air rubbings and waggling tongue mid-gesture. “And?” “What do you mean ‘And’? She’s married to my brother!” Twilight didn’t have a mirror ready but was sure she was as red as Big Mac right now. Luna gave her a playful tap on the shoulder. “Thou art so old fashioned! Did you think your brother would not consent?” Twilight swore she felt something go pop somewhere behind an eye. If it was a vein at least the quick death would spare her any more embarrassment. “B...you...and...Celestia…and Cadance?” Luna’s expression sobered from playful to serious. She reached over then to lay her hoof on Twilight’s. “Twilight, you can sense Bond now. Realize that nopony will be able to hide their true feelings from you.” Luna nudged Twilight’s cheek for emphasis, “Including yourself and any fiction of self-rationalization you might have for your own. Connections in spirit take on many shapes and they do not always follow the forms one would expect. Such bonds may very well go against the rigid preconceptions of gender and society.” Luna stood and beckoned Twilight to follow her back inside. They came to the base of the statue in the center hall which Luna looked towards. “You must not be judgmental, Twilight. For that knowledge comes with its own cost. I once struggled with such awareness: Of knowing acutely just how uneven the adoration my sister received compared to myself. How those might speak in lies professing false emotion or worse those with genuine feelings suffer in self-imposed silence.” Luna shook her head. “But that was then. Things are better in this era and you have had the benefit of making friends for friendship before any reason of power. When you return now to Equestria you might be surprised at how deep those connections run.” Twilight started to feel dizzy with the implications. Could she really be impartial? Being better at magic than other ponies was one thing, but having a look at their personal feelings? The thought scared her. What if somepony had feelings I couldn’t deal with, what if...what if— Luna’s hoof steadied her then and lifted Twilight’s chin to match gazes. “I love you, Twilight Sparkle. So does Celestia, so does Cadance and I am sure if you looked to your friends truly, they love you too." The memory of those lights, so many, so strong and now knowing the import behind them. Twilight felt her breath catch. Her mouth worked silently, unable to manage enough voice for words. Luna smiled and answered her anyway. “I know.” “So, how do I friendship a comet?” “I took my moon only to the finest of establishments. She was an icy sort at first but in time I melted her heart,” replied Luna with so even a tone Twilight had to do a double take. They both broke into giggles a moment later. After the emotional seesawing and the time spent together at the castle there was a lingering feeling of joy. Luna herself seemed much more playful while Twilight felt relaxed. The mood was just about right for a spontaneous song if they weren’t running short on time. The night had progressed enough that the comet had started to fall out of view from the castle. Once again Twilight and Luna set across the moonscape for a better vantage point. Eventually they crested a rocky outcropping that had the comet high and center in the starry sky. The reflected light made it a shining mote of whiteness. Twilight stared at it, even with all that she learned of herself, bonds and magic the task felt huge. Luna came to where Twilight looked upward and nuzzled her. Twilight gave one back and didn’t feel embarrassed about it. That little voice that always seemed to nag her or hold her back had gotten its own kind of exile. “To be more serious. ‘Tis magic you project from yourself to create a bridge. Bond supersedes both distance and time. When anchored with the comet you will be able to feel it no matter where it be and control its flight.” Twilight furrowed her brow as she remembered. “Principa Magicka mentioned something about aether? What is that?” Luna smiled, “Think of it as invisible snow in the darkness between the stars. As bodies move through it they create a wave in the front and a trough behind. Course changes take more effort than keeping it in a loop already made. Imagine needing to dig a new path as it were. What we accomplish through bond is create an equivalency out of that starstuff that pulls on—” “—on it like a counterweight in a catapult.” Twilight finished before smiling at Luna’s startled expression. “A very wise orange mare told me that one. But I think I get your meaning now.” “There are more caveats to consider: The wave of aether can provide increases in magical ability and other effects.” Twilight gasped as something clicked. “My mane! But... I didn’t even make any connection with the comet yet?” “While you will benefit the most from the connection other ponies will be affected too in the shift in aether currents. Usually it is minor boost for magic users performing spells on the ground. Whereas I suspect your friend Rainbow Dash can do her remarkable feats because she has spent so long infused by her high flying. You are already sensitive to it from your role as a alicorn.” Twilight out of habit began to pace as she thought, turning away from Luna to look upward again. “Is it dangerous?” Getting a sunburn was bad enough, what would be the celestial equivalent of that... a star burn? She didn’t want to be the one to forbade Rainbow Dash her hobbies. “The aether itself? No, it behaves like any other magic once you understand its properties,” said Luna after a pause for consideration, “but Twilight, creating the connection with the comet is an investment. When connections between ponies are severed, we suffer heartbreak. At this scale, however... the loss is felt more pointedly.” The shift in tone had Twilight stand straighter she turned to face Luna. “When you and Celestia gave me control of the sun and moon before?” “‘Twas a temporary measure to enable you against Tirek. Like hoofing you the end of a dog’s leash. In time the connections would have gone back to us. I imagine had you chosen to avoid Tirek completely Celestia and I would have regained our powers and freed ourselves from Tartarus.” Twilight laughed in relief, knowing some of her close calls had fail safes made the nick of time moments a lot less frightening. “She really does think of everything doesn’t she.” Though a thought itched when she said that. “Wait... this comet she moved recently and if she is giving it to me permanently... what does that mean for her?” Luna wasn’t looking at Twilight any longer, her head turned away. “Sister.” Twilight eyes widened. “Does it mean that she—” “—it means that I will have to visit Rarity and ask for the treatment she gave you,” answered Celestia as she landed beside them. Her mane was pink. Twilight would normally feel sheepish at being caught talking about a pony by that very pony, but Celestia’s changed appearance had her galloping the short distance to her. “Princess! Your mane!” It wasn’t until Twilight was stopped in mid leap by golden aura did she realize she was about to do an all out tackle of an embrace. She felt some of that old blush returning as she hung there in the gold shimmer. Though her chagrin was mitigated when Celestia drew her in for a hug anyway, albeit a gentler one. Celestia smiled in that serene way as she said, “There, there, Twilight. A little pink never threatened anypony. Aside from the occasional surprise party.” Twilight looked at the mane worriedly. Three of the rainbow bands that had been so distinctive had shrunken with most of the color now being the pink shade. Though the mane still flowed with its ethereal nature in slow wavy ripples. “Is this because you gave up the comet? I don’t want it if it hurt you! Take it back! Please,” cried Twilight, she didn’t care a damn about any honor or comet or magical power and certainly not at this cost. Celestia shushed Twilight with a small kiss to her temple. “I have more than enough to my name. Giving up a little piece for you to live all the better for it? I call that a good trade. I’ll recover in time.” Twilight’s eyes narrowed and she turned to look to Luna. “Is she telling the truth? I don’t want her sacrificing herself for me.” Celestia’s expression went from serene to nose scrunch with purple eyes wide to eyeliner. Luna raised a hoof and laughed behind it. “Your softening of hard truths were bound to catch up to you someday, Tia. Twilight is more than a grown mare now. Perhaps she has had her fill of the candy you put around words.” Celestia recovered from the surprise though Luna’s tease had her snorting, “I am more mindful to see if we still have stockades in Canterlot. That used to be the punishment for speaking against the crown.” Twilight nudged Celestia’s chest with her horn tip to prod a reminder. “I’m still waiting for an answer. I’m not going to go knobby kneed over this. Not if we are talking about me being turned into some kind of changeling to slurp up your life force.” Celestia gave Twilight a stronger embrace for a response to the spurring. “Oh Twilight! Not at all!” She took a breath and sighed, “When I had all three under my control both the ripples of aether and any adoration given to the heavenly object was passed on to me. It did make things easier. If Tirek had returned a decade ago then I would have been able to send him back to Tartarus before he laid a single corrupt hoof on any of my ponies. But now...” Luna spoke up, helping Celestia with the explanation. “When I returned as the Nightmare re-taking my moon by force left my sister with a sudden power void. ‘Tis not a pleasant experience. I am sorry you had to go through it, Tia.” Celestia shook her head and replied, “It was yours to begin with, never mine. It needed to be done and I have no regrets.” To Twilight she smiled and her tone softened. “And even if left me powerless for a time at least I had, and continue to have, faith in those outside myself to have strength to make right what went wrong.” Twilight tried to work those mechanics out. “So... without the moon or comet?” “I am only as strong as I was a thousand years ago when I had my sister and Starswirl and many others to unite Equestria with. Not quite as strong as the thousand years after when I had no pony but myself and some considered me a tyrant for my quick and absolute judgements.” Twilight clenched her jaw and muttered, “Damn that Discord.” She felt foalish now for ever doubting. Celestia blinked and looked puzzled. “Hmm? He was still stone then.” “N-Nevermind. What about your mane?” asked Twilight, hastily moving on. Celestia reached to stroke its end with a hoof. “You know, it has been pink for more of my life than it has been rainbow colored?” “I’ve been without wings for most of mine, but if they fell off tomorrow plenty of ponies would make a fuss,” said Twilight defensively. Though Luna’s background smirk and Celestia’s shift to a playful tone had taken a lot of the heat out of Twilight’s arguments. It was hard not to play along. “Didn’t they make a fuss when they were put on you? Sometimes there’s no pleasing someponies,” Celestia answered smoothly. Twilight leaned to give a firm nip to Celestia’s chin, tugging on that metaphorical beard. “You're dodging my questions again.” Luna let out an earnest laugh. “I think I will enjoy the years to come! Tia you have made your match in this one.” “Hmph! Sometimes I like doing something other than giving exposition,” said Celestia before pouting at the flat looks that statement earned her from both Luna and Twilight. After giving Twilight’s ear a nip for the chin tug, Celestia replied, “My mane will be fine. It’ll return to how it was in time. I can cast an illusion to stop ponies from needlessly worrying over it.” Twilight gasped, “You better not! Rarity will never forgive me if I denied her a chance to do your mane.” That had all three alicorns sharing a warm laugh together. Luna turned to Celestia after the humor. “Twilight is not incorrect with her worry. You should be resting, sister. We did not go over time. I have made sure to check and keep an accurate count.” “I know and you didn’t. But I felt Twilight testing her bonds for the first time and I knew she was just about ready,” said Celestia with a warming smile to Twilight. “Unless you wanted to wait until the last day, Twilight?” Twilight thought about how much effort it took to get to this point and shook her head. “To be honest. I think I’d like to finish something instead of worrying over it for a change.” Both Celestia and Luna took turns in showing how Twilight could take her sensing of Bond magic to the working of it as well as the more nuts and bolts aspect of melding aether into the necessary shapes. Though while they could teach her the mechanics the actual building would be up to her. Twilight worked on the spell, weaving it like she would of any of the other forms. Though it was a stressful job. Like trying to knit with thread meant to stitch. It made her own emotions go haywire bringing shifting oscillations between happiness and sadness. The magic she generated was drawing her out like a straw and she felt raw, as if she were scrubbed so hard that she was bare. Twilight couldn’t imagine using this as practical magic on any pony and feared what would happen if she did. She never thought she’d be happy for the censorship in Principa Magicka. Better ponies think it some boring spellbook than some guide to be a life stealing monster. Fatigue began to set in as she spent gallons of effort for droplets of return. But to break focus now would to lose it all, and… and why did she need to make more? Didn't she have all the bonds she needed already? Twilight began to tentatively reach out along those channels: She thought of Rarity’s over the top dramatics, of Applejack’s hokey countryisms. Of Rainbow’s playful ribbing and of Fluttershy’s gentle kindness. Pinkie’s humor, Spike’s helpfulness and all the other things she loved of her friends and family. When she peeked an eye open she saw the spell had stabilized, becoming fuller and whole. She realized then she had been looking at it wrong. The bonds were not just extra power, they were a part of her as much as her own flesh and soul. At first, she was worried about her aim, but as soon as she cast the magic from her she knew she need not have stressed. As the sparkling mote of herself sailed into the distance she could still feel it and control it. The sensation felt weird as if she had an impossibly long hoof that only grew with every mile the magic crossed. There was a sudden stop and Twilight gasped. She had struck the comet. At first the feeling was indescribable. The draining feeling had been replaced with a sudden euphoria. A tingle she felt from horn to tail. It was like... It was like... Like falling in love. The thought had Twilight giggle and she swayed in a near faint but Luna and Celestia were there to catch her. “Twilight you have done it!” Luna exclaimed. “Almost there. Just a little bit more, my love. Move the comet just like how we practiced,” murmured Celestia. Twilight closed her eyes and concentrated. When the comet moved, she didn’t need to open them to know.