//------------------------------// // A Lesson Gone Wrong. // Story: The Genius Named Starswirl // by WinterTwister //------------------------------// January 1st, Year 1543 A new year, each year filled with potential opportunity to push ourselves forward. But do most of us take it? January 2nd, Year 1543 Today I taught Clover the basics of offensive and defensive spell casting. We had to leave Canterlot grounds to be careful not to affect anyone, but we ran into a minor.. complication with an odd young colt named Trixster. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Starswirl and Clover were walking through the main courtyard as Starswirl lectured on about spell casting. "Do you know any offensive spells, Clover?" "No, teacher." Clover never had any enemies and never felt the need to learn any. "What do you know on the subject?" "Not much, teacher." Starswirl drew out his pipe and lit it with a spark as it levitated in the air. "Teacher, isn't smoking a bad habit?" Clover asked, concerned. He spoke after a short inhale. "There's no such thing as a bad habit, only an odd habit." "I consider it bad when it harms your body, teacher." "Harms the body, but calms ones mind." He decided to oblige and put away his pipe for now. "But on the subject of being calm, it is the major factor in offensive and defensive casting. A calm mind amplifies your attack and it also builds a barrier around you that has the potential to absorb a spell directed at you." "Is that all there is to it, teacher?" "Not quite, it does in fact play a major portion of it. I'll explain more once we get to the unicorn practice field." The student and teacher continued to walk through the courtyards until Starswirl's attention was caught by crowd of unicorns surrounding one blue coated unicorn. Starswirl was curious and lead Clover over to the crowd. The unicorn in the middle was wearing a blue cape riddled with stars. "I am the great and powerful Trixster! None can match Trixster's abilities, say you otherwise challenge Trixster yourselves!" None of the crowd had said anything. A young colt stepped away from the crowd while puffing out his chest. "I challenge you to a magical duel!" He laughed. "You will soon see the might of Trixster, young one." Starswirl turned to Clover. "Isn't that the young colt you were with at the New Year's party, Clover?" Clover nodded, he was now focused on watching the duel between his friend and the blue coated unicorn. Trixster and the colt were spaced apart in the center of the courtyard where another unicorn was in the middle with her hooves raised in the air. As soon as her hooves dropped to signal the start the colt sent a purple dart of energy at Trixster from his horn. Trixster focused and right before the dart touched him it evaporated into smoke that circled him. Trixster then focused his magic and at first it did nothing, but within seconds the colt was covered with a giant snowball that fell from the sky. The colt popped his head out of the giant snowball. "Ouch..." Trixster laughed. "An easy opponent, is there nopony else?" Clover was angry that his friend had lost and took a step forward but was cut off by Starswirl's hoof. "He lost fairly, there is no need to become hostile. You do not even know any dueling spells yet, do not be ignorant." Clover opened his mouth to protest, but closed it immediately knowing not to question Starswirl. A unicorn in front of Starswirl heard his voice and turned around to see him. "Starswirl! You can take this guy easy!" The other unicorns turned to see the stallion and agreed. "Yeah! This guy is not match for the best magic user in Canterlot!" Starswirl's eye twitched at what the other unicorn had said. "No, I am not the best. Nor will I ever be." Trixster saw the unicorns now crowding around Starswirl and had walked over to see who was stealing his thunder. "This old stallion could never hope to beat the great and powerfulTrixster!" Starswirl chuckled at the unicorn. "What is so funny? How dare you laugh at Trixster!" "Are you narrating an autobiography, young one?" "Trixster has no idea what you are talking about. Either duel Trixster or be on your way." He waved off at Starswirl. "Why would I ever wish to duel a child who speaks in third person?" The unicorns all laughed at Trixster, and it forced his temper rise dangerously. Trixster growled, angry at being insulted repeatedly. "Be quiet old stallion!" He sent a volley of golden darts at Starswirl from the tip of his horn. Starswirl started running sideways faster than a wolf, dodging each golden dart that crashed into the snow forcing it to melt. The unicorns had scattered to also evade the volley, but most were more scared of Starswirl than Trixster. Starswirl slid to a halt and focused his magic under Trixster. The snow below Trixster transformed into a small puddle of water that grew into a short gushing fountain of water that launched him high into the air. Trixster screamed in fright as he hurled into the snow less ground while flailing his hooves. Inches before he could hit the ground he was caught by Starswirl's powerful aura. Starswirl levitated Trixster in front of himself. "Do not boast about ability you do not posses. It would be wise to leave Canterlot now, as they see you as a felon now that you attacked one of Celestia's researchers." Trixster nodded shakily, agreeing with Starswirl. Starswirl released him and he fell onto the ground. Trixster started struggling to get up as soon as he hit the ground. He got up and galloped away, embarrassed about his humiliating defeat. The crowd of unicorns started chanting at the victory. "Starswirl! Starswirl!" Starswirl scowled at the crowd and then turned to Clover. "Come, we must continue your lesson." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I quickly dealt with the ignorant colt and I do not have much to comment on him other than his dire need of a speech therapist. Once we reached the practice field we were able to continue Clover's lesson. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Starswirl and Clover were approaching the magical practice field. The field was simple and was surrounded by trees and had magical equipment supplied in shacks for the use of unicorns. "Teacher?" Clover said as he removed his hood. "Yes?" "That was really incredible what you did at the courtyard." He said sheepishly. Starswirl sighed. "No it was not, it was a novice against a beginner." he quickened his pace, annoyed by the praise. "You know, teacher... there's nothing wrong with taking pride in something. No matter how small a feat." "Yes there is, taking pride in something insignificant leads to being arrogant." "It is also important to recognize your own progress and take pride in your accomplishments. The recognition and support to those around you can lead to nurturing." Starswirl tried to say something else, but closed his mouth and scrunched up his muzzle, contemplating Clover's statement. They reached the field and saw that somepony had forgot to put away some practice dummies. "Okay, Clover. You see that dummy just ahead of you?" He pointed his hoof at the dummy. "The one on the right?" "Yes, lift it up please." Clover focused his aura around the dummy and picked it up. "Good, now drop it." He dropped the dummy where it originally was. "Now instead of using your aura outside of your horn, build it up inside much like filling a glass of water. Once you reach a certain pressure unleash it from the tip while focusing on the spell you want and it will then act like a cannon hurling your built-up energy. A simple spell is a stun spell. Now concentrate." Clover closed his eyes, trying to focus. He started scrunching up his face at the difficulty from the spell. He let out a loud sigh after a minute of trying to force out the spell. "I can't do it. The energy in my horn keeps receding the energy back into my body and I can't hold it." Starswirl raised an eyebrow. "You cannot do it because you don't think you can, be more confident. Try again and this time imagine a shock of lightening emanating from your horn and striking the dummy. Be confident, focused, and most importantly, be calm." Clover took a deep breath and tried to focus again and felt the pressure build in his horn. His spine started to tingle from the magical buildup traveling through his body to his horn. He held the energy and allowed it to build pressure and then let it loose. His head jerked from the spell exploding from his horn and it blurred his vision from the light of the silver dart. The dummy was knocked over in a twirl from the impact of the dart. Starswirl levitated the dummy back on its stand. "Well done, now that you get the concept of an offensive spell all it takes is practice. Now try once more and this time focus every ounce of your magical ability into your horn to test how powerful of a spell you can cast. Keep your neck strained and reinforced to resist the kick-back." Starswirl patted his student's back and took a few steps back to give him room. Clover did as he was told and started pouring his energy into his horn to let it build up. He started shaking in his concentration as he felt an infinite source of energy pour from his body into his mind. He opened his eyes when something inside of him snapped and his full body was instantly covered in his own aura. He started to rise slowly into the air, his eyes now becoming engulfed in arcane energy and his own aura was stinging his body. The dummies were struck with a large thick purple strike of lightening and it obliterated them raining splinters everywhere. Clover started to recoil as he rose up higher, losing control of himself, sending purple sparks in all directions. A streak of lightening ricocheted off of a metal plate that was at the edge of the field and struck Starswirl's hoof. He looked up at Clover in worry. "Clover!" He yelled up at his student. "ugh... t-teacher..." Clover said through his wavering amplified voice. Starswirl's eyes widened in fear, now knowing that Clover was being hurt. He raised his horn directly at Clover and reached his own aura around Clover and started using draining spell to extinguish the burning aura around Clover. Clover started to descend slowly as Starswirl siphoned his enormous quantity of energy. Starswirl started to shake at the vast amount of energy. Clover collapsed to the ground after the aura disappeared and Starswirl unleashed the trapped energy at a tree in the distance. The tree was cut in half from the wave of energy and had shot through several other trees and forming a path. Starswirl started stroking his mane while holding him tightly in the dust. "It's alright Clover..you're fine now." Clover was shaking. "Teacher.. what happened?" "I don't know..I wont let it happen again, Clover." Starswirl slowly rocked his student while passively casting a calming spell on him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Something strange happened during the lesson and he became enveloped in energy and lost control of himself. I was able to siphon the energy away from him and he became traumatized by the event. I gave him the rest of the week off to recuperate. I have not been that scared in years, I will never let anything bad happen to Clover ever again. I think of Clover as the son I never had and he is the only pony I have ever felt this connection with and I do not wish for it to sever. I should report to Celestia the event that happened with Clover, I will send a letter with Philomena.