//------------------------------// // Chapter 5- Elementary Education // Story: Restart // by Alden MacManx //------------------------------// That day became a pattern for the next week, classes in the morning with a halfway break, then lunch, then about two hours more class before breaking for the day. After class, I was encouraged to move around town, going out and meeting ponies, getting familiar with the town. That was extremely pleasant, learning about the town. I brought Time Turner my charger the first day after class, and on the third day he returned it along with a small box and cable during the lunch break. “All you have to do is plug the cable into your charging port, and let it run. No plugging into the wall, there is a charged crystal in the box with a spell on it to deliver electricity in just the right amount for your phone to accept. You’ll have to recharge the spell about once every two weeks or so. Princess Twilight will teach it to you. It’s really not all that difficult to cast. You should not have any problems. “Oh, yes- I also had a couple of spells cast on your phone, so that the components won’t wear out, and your screen won’t crack. I also took a copy of your music files. You have good taste in music!” he told me. “Wait a minute- how could you take a copy of my music?” I asked, surprised. “Oh, I have ways. Call it payment for services rendered, hmm? Sorry, must dash, work piling up at the clock shop. So much to do, so little time. Good day, all.” Time Turner said before leaving the castle, singing quietly “…I would walk five hundred miles…” as he marched his way out. Damn, I’m SURE he was familiar, but I could not place WHERE or HOW. The afternoon session that day was spellcrafting, specifically how to cast the spell that powered the crystal in the phone charger. Twilight brought up some blank crystals and started teaching. By break time, both Twilight and I were frustrated and a bit short-tempered, because, try as I did, I could NOT comprehend spellcrafting. Light, yes. Telekinesis, oh, yes. Spellcrafting, nope. We broke for the day, agreeing to meet at a small restaurant Twilight favored in three hours. We both needed some calming down time. I wandered out into the town, heading in a random direction, which led to the schoolhouse. I got there just before class let out and got to watch the explosion of kids out the door. Many rushed out at first, then a few stragglers. One young unicorn filly sat herself down by the playground and started to read, her horn letting out a glow after a moment’s focus. As I watched, a spark leaped from her horn to the table, making her jump a little. Curious, I walked over to her. “Hello, little lady, what are you studying?” I asked. I know I saw her at the party, but her name was lost to me in the avalanche of introductions. The filly looked up. “Hi, Mister Tristan! I’m studying elementary spellcasting, and I think I’m getting it! Did you see me do a spark?” she asked me eagerly. “Yes, I did. How did you do it?” I asked. She then proceeded to take me through the spell, referring to her book often as she did her explaining. I did some reading over her shoulder as she explained when comprehension hit me between the eyes with the intensity of a Randy Johnson fastball. Suddenly, I could see just HOW to put a spell together, from idea to execution. I fell to my knees, then to the ground, amazed by what I was comprehending for the first time. “Mister Tristan? Are you all right?” the filly asked. “Yes, I am,” I said after a moment. “I understand how to cast a spell now. Princess Twilight has been trying to teach me to do it since lunch, and we both got mad. What was your name again?” The filly giggled. “I’m Merry Smile, remember?” “Merry Smile. You sure brought a smile to my face. Thank you for helping me understand magic,” I said to the red and yellow filly before giving her a warm hug. “Can you do that one song that had all of us dancing at the party? The fun one?” she asked. “You mean, The Macahula?” She nodded eagerly. “Are you ready?” I brought up the song in my mind, thinking about the music, waiting for the words. At the right time, I started to sing, and the two of us did the song and dance together, Merry Smile singing with me on the choruses. When we finished, we both fell to the ground laughing as hard as we could. “Thank you, Mister Tristan! That was fun!” Merry Smile said when she could draw breath without giggling. “It sure was! Tell you what, once I get the songs put on records, I’ll ask Miss Cheerilee if I can bring some over to the school for a music lesson. Would you like that?” I asked when I could draw breath again myself. “That would be so nice! I would like that!” Merry Smile squealed. “You won’t have to ask,” came a voice from the schoolhouse door. We looked up to see Miss Cheerilee there, smiling. “I heard it all from inside, and the laughter. Of course, I would like to have you teach a little music to the foals. Let me know before you come by, okay?” “Tell you what, Miss Cheerilee,” I said. “How about I arrange with Princess Twilight for me to take Friday afternoon off from my studies, and I come here with my music box for an hour or so of fun music? Then, after I get records printed up, I will deliver a set of them here to the school?” “That will be an excellent idea!” Cheerilee said. “Let’s make it the last hour of the school day, okay?” As Merry Smile clopped her hooves in glee, I said, “That is a good plan, Miss Cheerilee. Let’s plan that way, and if I have any issues, I’ll let you know right away.” As I went to stand next to Merry Smile, I put a leg around her in a hug. “After all, I can’t disappoint my fans, can I?” Cheerilee went back inside, and I agreed to sit with Merry Smile until her mother showed up to take her home. She worked in the marketplace most days and used her afternoon break to pick up her daughter from school. Merry Smile did not mind the wait, she used it to do homework.