//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 Learning // Story: Warrior Ponies // by My name is R //------------------------------// Ocellus was humming ‘Winter Wrap-up’ as she put away the dishes that she and her friends had used for breakfast. As she was putting the last one away she saw councilor Starlight walk in with a changeling she didn't recognize. “Good morning Ocellus!” “Good morning Counselor Starlight! How can I be of assistance?” “Well, Jaypaw here wanted to learn how to use his shape-shifting to see, and I thought we should ask you.” Ocellus smiled at Jaypaw. He looked bored. “I’d be happy to help. How are you at transforming in general?” Jaypaw hesitated for a few seconds before responding. “Not great.” He lowered his head slightly. “Hey, it’s alright. Everyling learns at their own pace. Would you like me to help teach you?” “Yes,” he answered curtly. After about an hour Ocellus stepped out, leaving Jaypaw with some exercises to practice for a while. She closed the door and walked down the hall to Counselor Starlight’s room, entering since the door was open. “Hello Counselor!” Starlight looked up from some papers she was writing on. “Hello Ocellus. How’s practice with Jaypaw going?” “Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. He’s learning really well, but it seemed like he had never been told even the basics before. He didn’t even know he could levitate things.” “Hmm, that does seem odd. Is that normal in the hive?” “No,” Ocellus answered with a shake of her head. “I didn’t want to pry, since he was already uncomfortable, but I don’t think he’s from the hive.” “Well he did come into town yesterday with several ponies, do you think he could have grown up with them?” “That would explain things, but what about the wedding? If he can’t shapeshift then they would have had a hard time hiding him after that.” Starlight nodded. “I’ll think about it and try to find out his story, you focus on making him feel welcome and teaching him anything a pony can’t. Can you do that?” “Yes ma’am,” Ocellus said with a smile. After many tries and a long while, Ocellus said that they had been practicing for long enough and that he should come back tomorrow morning. He walked out of School and up to the path, which was less busy than it had been when he and Starlight had come here, but it was still active. He shifted his eyes so that he could take in the sight before him. It was brighter and more colorful than anything he’d seen before his first night in this new world. There were about as many horses walking the several paths as there were cats in all of Thunderclan, and he knew that many more were inside. He walked down one of the smaller, less well traveled paths and just took it all in. As with the previous trip, he noticed that there was a general feeling of happiness around. He wondered if they were having a good season. After passing a few dens he saw a brown tom sorting a large collection of small stone objects. When he reached the horse he stopped. It looked almost like he was sorting herbs, but Jaypaw had never seen anyone sort stones. “What are you doing?” The horse looked up. “Hmm? Oh, hello there. I'm sorting my assorted connectors.” Jaypaw stared at the collection, trying to understand them. Many of them had groves running in circles around them. They came in two shapes: Circles and straight sticks with larger nubs on one side, and none on the other. “Would you like to help me sort them, and I can teach you about them as we work?” “Yes,” answered Jaypaw, doing his best to conceal his excitement. He stepped up to the raised wooden slab with several containers. After they finished sorting the hardware, Time Turner started packing up the boxes. “Would you like to help carry the last box in and I'll show you my workshop?” Jaypaw nodded and grabbed the final box in his mouth, following as Time Turner led the way back into his house. Jaypaw had known nothing about his pieces, but he had been an eager study. It made sense, from what little Turner knew the Changelings were much less technologically advanced than Equestrians. Once they were inside Jaypaw appeared uninterested in his surroundings, but Turner had seen enough colts pretend not to be interested in something to know better. Time Turner led the way towards the basement. “What is this?” Jaypaw asked, pointing at the blue metal doors with glass window at the top. “That’s my lift. It’s something I invented to work like stairs, but it takes less room and it’s easier to use with furniture.” “Alright.” They stepped inside and he pulled the lever to the basement position. As it began to move it shook and made its customary scape! noises. Jaypaw froze, eyes wide and ears folded down. “Not to worry young colt, we're perfectly safe. The lift is just a bit noisy, nothing to worry about.” When the lift opened Jaypaw gasped. Time smiled, it was always nice to introduce a young foal to the joys of learning. Then he stepped forward. “Welcome to my laboratory! This is where I try to define the underpinnings of reality.” Jaypaw just tilted his head. Time Turner frowned thoughtfully. “Hmm. How about: This is where I do my science?” Jaypaw nodded. “How would you like to help me make a lightning rod?” “A what?” Time grinned. “It's a metal rod used to attract lightning. I'm planning on catching some in a jar of acid this evening.” “How?” “Well, certain elements’ reactions produce or consume electrons, and by running a powerful electrical current back through the circuit we can reverse the processes.” That evening Jaypaw returned to the castle and had dinner with the others. They spoke of what they had done that day, from Lionpaw being arrested to Jaypaw’s new studies. Squirrelflight expressed interest in learning to read as well, and eventually Twilight suggested that any of them who wanted should ask Cheerilee for reading lessons. After dinner they went to they rooms and settled in for their second night.