//------------------------------// // Chapter 19 – Practise & Preparedness // Story: Fred Walsh: Diverted // by Baguettedood //------------------------------// Chapter 19 – Practise & Preparedness *Note: In most English countries, Practise is a verb and Practice is a noun.* "Sometimes, I need to step back and examine my perspective. For example, did I really threaten Cadance by almost causing her and everyone in the general vicinity an existential crisis? I hope to never come that close to doing anything of the sort again. "Although, I was right; Cadance kept something from me. Apparently, I'm magical now because of the topaz, however that's even supposed to work. I really don't even know what my reaction should be these days. Might as well find some use for this. Learning this'll be fun." After final recovery and check-ups, Fred, Twilight, Shining and Cadance were discharged from Canterlot Castle's hospital with a clean bill of health. Fred returned to his room to go over recent events, and record some additional entries to the vlog, while still unsure if he'll ever publish the videos. He considered the ideas that he'd either attract unwanted attention, or be dismissed as fake. For the meantime, he continued to record them for himself, as a way of keeping some sort of rhythm in his confusing life. Once he had taken a few minutes to get everything up-to-date, he sat on the unmade blue bed to think everything over. The human sighed. 'Why Princess Cadance decided to play games with me, I have no clue. Okay, how do I use this magic?' He raised his right arm, to place his hand in his full view, then he focused without a goal, unsure of what to do. 'Go magic!' Nothing happened. 'How do unicorns use magic? Also, is this safe? They channel energy through their horn... I don't have a horn, or any other magical appendages,' he criticised in his mind. 'Hmm, how did I feel when I supposedly glowed?' he pondered. He remembered clutching Princess Celestia's gold-amethyst crown in his right hand as he sprinted, slightly fearful of what he was getting into, yet determined to help. Still without luck, Fred stood up and paced back and forth around the circular room. “Okay,” he vocalised. “Emotions don't exactly make sense because they're just chemical reactions in the mind, meaning Hulk is inaccurate,” he began to think out loud. “But, said reactions can induce electrical impulses throughout the body- Ha!” he realised something, slightly unrelated to his original goal. “There's my love for science! I've been wondering where that went!” In possession of a new plan, and his renewed appreciation of all things scientific, he bounced back down onto the bed and tried again. He raised his arm in view more confidently and tensed his muscles. 'Wait, am I actually trying, or just flexing?' He stood up again and mimicked himself running, with both his arms in a frozen snapshot of the action. After a few more attempts, he finally managed his arm to emit a faint yellow glow, accompanied by a low hum. He smiled, proud of his achievement. Twilight looked around, examining the room she and her sister-in-law, Princess Cadance, along with her brother, found themselves in. “Twilight,” the alicorn began. “What room is this?” She hadn't been here before. She could see assorted mannequins, spread across an expansive area. The ground looked well-trodden, with some occasional scorch marks in various places. Against a wall were some targets with a bullseye on each of them. “This is the royal guards' training room,” Shining Armor continued from his wife. “We're teaching you some magical defence.” “I grabbed some spellbooks earlier.” Cadance levitated three books from her saddlebags, colour coded to the 'difficulty' of each. Twilight took the green one to begin with. She flipped through the pages of primarily defence-based spells, such as the shield she already knew, though some of the chapters contained some interesting techniques she hadn't considered. “Mind if I try some of these?” She closed the book with an idea of the spell she wanted to try in her mind. “Not on us,” Shining Armor chuckled. He stepped aside to give his sister some room to practise on the dummies. The unicorn mare ignited her horn with her typical purplish-ruby glow. Although she hadn't used offensive magic before, sans the uncontrollable incident last night, she had a clear view of the results. She released, and one of the training dummies flew back a metre, toppling over at the end. A basic spell, but it didn't take much to cast, and could make a big difference. Over time, she gradually attempted more attacks, while Cadance and Shining joined in knocking over other training dummies, having fun as well. Many more hours later, Princess Celestia, Fred Walsh, Twilight Sparkle, Shining Armor and Princess Cadance all gathered in the castle's conference room, the subject at hand needing no introduction. Fred toyed with his newfound magic, toggling it on and off. “Considering what happened to Twily last last night, I think we need a new plan,” the guard captain stated. Fred stopped and looked up. “...Why am I here, anyway?” he questioned something that had lay in the back of his mind since last time he sat in this room. Princess Celestia responded. “With your assistance during our last encounter with Potens Daemonium in 796, along with your assistance in the recent battle, I deemed it necessary for you to be involved.” “Fair enough.” 'Well, she's no longer cross at me, and apparently that one time I fought the demon makes me an expert.' “Wait, being thrown into a wall warrants combat readiness?” “I think we should go on the offensive,” Cadance interrupted Fred and finished her husband's idea. “I doubt Potens Daemonium will have a change of heart, so I have to concur,” Twilight responded. “Agreed. Fortunately, before it escaped, I placed a tracking spell.” Celestia levitated a nearby map of Equestria and enchanted it. A red glowing dot appeared deep within the Everfree Forest. “Figures he'd be there,” the human mumbled. “So, what's our plan?” Shining Armor formulated his idea. “We'll have to go here,” he pointed at the dot, “and take Potens Daemonium out.” “You couldn't take him out with a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates.” Fred laughed. However, the joke was lost on the others. “You lot are terrible at humour. Just saying.” 'Either that or I have a bad sense of humour. Or, both.' “How are we supposed to fight it? That demon's becoming more difficult every time!” the unicorn mare asked. The human pulled a sapphire horn ring out of his pocket that'd been lying in there for some time. “Well, I still have this. Can we use it for anything?” Twilight looked a bit wary of the jewellery, courtesy of the last time she saw it. The pink alicorn looked at the ring. “We could try getting it onto its horn somehow. It's still possessing a body, and that has to count for something.” Over the next few minutes, the five continued their planning, improving upon it and taking into account any upcoming issues. Later, once the planning had been completed, they all went to their beds so they can be rested for the upcoming fight.