I must concede there are of course limitations to my claim, and that not every force in this world can be classified as magic. But, I believe that it is important for us to have a base to work off of. There is much of magic by my classification that we have yet to explore and yet to understand. Working from a base means that we can establish different kinds of magic, and from there seek a broader understanding of the world around us.
Sweetie wiped the tears from her eyes and a face formed before her. “S-Sunset?”
Sunset Shimmer tossed her mane back and laughed. “The one and only!”
“What are you doing here?” Sweetie asked, trying to stifle her tears.
“Twilight invited me over for the Festival,” Sunset answered. “I wanted to stop by and visit some friends, but… well, I take it now isn’t the best time.” She jerked her head at the office door, where Trixie and Starlight’s argument continued in intensity. “But what about you?”
“I was…” Sweetie glanced behind her, at the fogged glass of the door. “Talking with Starlight about something. But she doesn’t seem interested. Besides, it was a stupid idea anyways.” She spat out the last word bitterly.
Sunset frowned, levitating Sweetie’s sketchbook up in her magic. “Is this yours?”
Sweetie nodded, pulling herself to her hooves. “Yeah, but I don’t need it anymore.”
Sunset opened the book, skimming it's pages thoughtfully. “Hm. Here, why don’t you sit?” She guided Sweetie over to a bench, gently setting her down. “What’s so stupid about this idea of yours?”
“Well, Twilight put me in charge of the Friendship Festival. I wanted to have my own variation of a Rainboom, some signal to inspire ponies around Equestria. Trixie told me about a spell called the 24k Lush, and I was trying to get enough unicorns to cast it,” Sweetie explained as she fought back hiccups.
“Why’s it a stupid idea?” Sunset asked, tilting her head to the side. “I think that sounds fantastic!”
Sweetie shrugged. “I guess. But… I get the feeling ponies aren’t really up for that. I mean…” Sweetie gestured vaguely at Starlight’s office. “It just feels like they’re all so busy dealing with their own problems now. And I want to help them, but… I can’t.”
Sunset took in Sweetie’s words carefully. “Hm. Well, I guess I can understand feeling like that. Sometimes our friends go through challenges just like us, and as much as we want to help them, it feels like there’s nothing we can do. But, I think I’ve realized that there’s one important thing that can always be done.”
“What’s that?” Sweetie asked.
“Being there,” Sunset replied. “Knowing that you have someone in your corner who believes in you and is willing to back you up can mean more than you can ever know.” She tapped a hoof to her own chest, giving Sweetie a warm smile. “I’ve learned that many times over.”
“But what if it isn’t enough?”
“Sweetie, we all face challenges,” Sunset continued. “And even friendships can get shaky. But there are times when we have to face those challenges alone. Like Starlight and Trixie. They love each other a lot, but this is something they have to figure out. But, if they ever need help, I’m sure that you and many others would be there in a heartbeat.”
Sweetie nodded in agreement. “I’ve offered, but everypony keeps saying they’re fine.”
“And if they ever need something, I’m sure you’d be the first pony they ask,” Sunset answered. “Ponies can be stubborn like that, Sweetie. It’s true that sometimes they don’t know when to ask for help, but other times their battle is one they have to take alone.”
“I… I guess,” sighed Sweetie. “But it sure doesn’t make me feel any better.”
Sunset ruffled Sweetie’s mane with a soft chuckle. “That’s because you’re a good pony, Sweetie. You don’t like seeing others hurting.” Sunset levitated the sketchbook into her lap. “But hey, this spell of yours. Maybe you could use this to help everyone.”
“Really? How?”
“You said it yourself right here,” Sunset said, tapping a hoof on the page for emphasis. “This spell could inspire millions of ponies. Sometimes inspiration is what we need. Even if it isn’t, it sure can help.”
Sweetie nodded, taking a cleansing breath to expel the last of her tears. “Starlight was saying there were a lot of problems with getting it to work.”
Sunset shrugged in response. “Probably, but there always are going to be problems. What’d she bring up?”
“Uniting the frequencies and holding a unified color,” Sweetie replied.
Sunset nodded, pulling a quill from her own bags and flipping to a new page. “Hmm… I think we can work around that. We could use a spell spectrometer to split frequencies and figure out how much power we’ll need from each spellcaster, then divide accordingly. A color splitter spell could also help fine-tune the exact shade we want, but I think Rarity can handle that fine. Maybe if we combined it with firework casting methodology it’d increase the range and visibility...”
She paused to glance up and notice Sweetie gaping at her.
“What?” Sunset winked at her, laughing. “I was Celestia’s personal student for awhile. I may not live here, but I sure know a thing or two about magic. Besides, Twilight’s got me interested in picking up my old studies again.”
Sweetie blinked a few times. She realized now that it was quiet, and the shouting from behind the door had dropped to whispers. Looking up and down the empty hall gave her a strange feeling, one that lapped against her in soft, gentle waves. It was almost like magic. “There’s magic in the other world, isn’t there?” she asked.
“Yes,” Sunset replied. “There is. Some of it is Equestrian magic that bled over, but I think over there, it’s a whole field of its own.”
“Huh. So… there really is magic everywhere,” Sweetie mused.
“That there is,” Sunset laughed. “That there is.” She picked up her quill and turned to a fresh page. “Come on, Sweetie. Let’s talk this out. I think we can pull this off.”