//------------------------------// // First Impressions // Story: The Element of Magic // by PlutoMilo //------------------------------// Twilight was ever so thankful for the thermals she managed to slip into as she flew. She wouldn’t have been able to reach Ponyville without them. The journey was longer than expected, and the muscles along her wings and back were burning from exertion. She was so tired, in fact, that she nearly overshot the landing pad and crashed horns first into the quaint fountain in the town square. As she huffed and tried to get her bearings back, ponies crowded around to help relieve her of her luggage.  Various straps and buckles were removed with deft talons and packs were lifted by powerful wooden claws. Twilight blinked, refocusing on her surroundings. Griffons were gazing at her with sympathy, their wings flexing as if they could feel her ache as their own. Timberwolves chuffed as they heaved away the luggage. Oh. So that’s what Mayor Mare meant about ‘beings’. “Hey, you good?” A pale blue griffon with a shocking rainbow plume asked, “That landing looked nasty. Hurt anywhere?” Twilight could only stare. How did the griffon speak without moving their mouth? Would she be able to do that? It would solve a lot of her problems. “We might have a concussion case, guys.” That snapped Twilight out of it, “No,” she slurred hurriedly, “No concussion. Thank you.” The griffon looked doubtful, lifting several talons, “How many do I have up?” “Three.” The griffon snorted in satisfaction, “Alright. Welcome to Ponyville. I’m Rainbow Dash,” they motioned to the other griffons, “That’s Gilda, Prance, Feather Light, and Thunder Roar. We’re Aerie Pride One here in Ponyville. Our ground Pack has Reed, Leaf, Branch, and Tree.” Those were some… creative names. Twilight thought as she eyed the shifting wood and the eerie Magic holding the wolves together. She’d read about the Timberwolves that lurked in the Everfree. They were described as savage beasts that tore apart anything that moved, and yet here they were, clearly sentient and part of a town. “Nice to meet you!” Spike chirped from her back, making a valiant attempt to lean away from the Timberwolves without falling off, “My name is Spike Sparkle and this is my mom, Twilight Sparkle.” Gilda flapped a brown wing toward the Timberwolves, “I think we got it now guys, thanks for the help.” The biggest wolf barked, angling its ears and lolling a leafy tongue before the rest of the wolves retreated respectfully. Spike breathed a sigh of relief when the wolves left his immediate space. “The library is over yonder,” Prance said, pointing to a massive tree, “Should be big nuff. Any special diet stuff we gotta know ‘bout?” “Pardon?” Twilight croaked, completely overwhelmed. Thankfully, Gilda stepped in again, “Come on Prance, the poor thing’s dead on their feet. Let em up before asking the questions, will you? Hey! Miss Bon Bon! Could you help the Taskmaster from Canterlot bring their stuff to the library? Their kid don’t really like the Timberwolves much.” “Twilight’s fine,” she sputtered, the words so mangled that she doubted anyone could’ve understood, “Really, it’s fine. I can bring it myself.” But it was a moot point by then since the earth pony Gilda called over, Bon Bon, had already lifted half of her stuff onto her back and was walking steadily toward the library. Twilight hefted the rest of the luggage with as much grace as she could and hurried to follow. “One of us will come by later with the questions when you’re settled, ight?” Rainbow Dash shouted after them. Twilight bobbed her head and Spike waved. Her legs wobbled as she stumbled like a newborn after the sturdy earth pony, who was walking like it was a normal stroll through the neighborhood. “Welcome to Ponyville. My name is Sweetie Bon Bon Drops. But you can call me Bon Bon, everyone does. I don’t care, I mean mind. I don’t mind. Um, a pleasure to make your… sincerity?” “I beg your pardon?” Twilight puffed out between breaths, prompting Spike to slide down from her shoulders. “I- Um- You’re the Canterlot Taskmaster that the Queen sent right?” After Twilight’s nod, “Oh no! Did I say something wrong? That’s how Canterlot folks greet beings right? I didn’t study too much on it. Um, a thousand sorrys, um, Taskmaster.” “Twilight,” the dragon enunciated slowly, “Call me Twilight. I don’t expect anyone here to adhere to Canterlot Society. I came to escape it. Thank you though. Your attempt was admirable.” “Oh ponyfeathers, you use bigger words than Rarity! Anyway!” Bon Bon paused outside of the library, looking from the door, which would just barely be tall enough for a larger earth pony, to Twilight. “Well that there is goin’ to be a problem.” Spike ran into the library, shaking the topmost leaves of the building as he charged through it. He exploded through the doors of the second floor that led to a balcony. “I think you can fit through these doors, Mom.” “Wooden!” Bon Bon bellowed down the street, before glancing apologetically at Twilight’s half-flared wings, “Take a message please!” A Timberwolf, smaller than Twilight had seen so far, appeared as if by Magic, shedding bits of grass along the path. Bon Bon laughed, petting the pony-sized wolf with a gentle hoof, “Alright, could you go fetch Fluttershy and Pinkie and bring them here, please? And Lady Rarity if she’s not busy. We need to fix this door for Taskmaster Twilight.” Twilight sighed. This was going far better than she had thought it would go, but did everyone need to make such a fuss? Bon Bon continued talking, Wooden the wolf was nowhere to be found, “Anywho, the Apple family has already started working on the temporary campsite, so don’t you worry none about it. Everyone’s so excited about the Celebration, even if most of us can’t watch it. We’re honored that the Queen chose Ponyville to host. We’ve been so busy!” Twilight could already imagine the horrible cleanup when the Celebration ended. But she was far more alarmed at the casual mention about how most of the town couldn’t watch. She didn’t get the chance to ask since a unicorn teleported next to the library door. Twilight wrinkled her nose at the residual Magic that still poured off of the alabaster unicorn. The said unicorn was frazzled. Their mane, which had probably once been immaculate purple curls, was limp and flat. Their coat was gray with how much dust was on them. They were surprisingly stocky for a unicorn and their horn was a far cry from the well-cared-for ones that most Canterlot citizens had. “Oh my stars!” the unicorn exclaimed, “I just heard the news. My deepest apologies for the door, Taskmaster. I wasn’t sure how large to design it the first time around. Needless to say, when Fluttershy gets here, we will refit the door posthaste.” “No rush…” Twilight trailed off, unsure how to address the pony. “Rarity, Taskmaster,” the newly dubbed Rarity said with a small bow, “Rarity Belle, owner of the Carisole Mining Co and Boutique. My sister and I are one of the few ponies in town.” “Where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique.” Twilight said with dawning wonder, “You’re the mysterious vendor my parents bought all those jewels from.” A strained smile appeared on Rarity’s face. Even though Twilight was a reclusive hermit, she knew when someone didn’t want to continue a topic. She ended up mumbling as clearly as she could, “Pardon my rudeness, Lady Rarity. I got ahead of myself. I’m Twilight Sparkle.” “Oh my,” a soft voice interrupted, “We really misjudged the door, didn’t we?” Twilight first assumed, who she thought was Fluttershy, to be another albeit large griffon. Their massive pink feathery wings folded in with a grace Twilight envied. However, as they trotted closer, Twilight could see the yellow back half of the being. Hooves clopped on the road as the hippogryph approached the door, twisting their head at odd angles. “Yep-a-doodles!” A small pink pegasus exploded out of the low-hanging branches of the library, scattering confetti everywhere. Spike shrieked in surprise, toppling from the banister he’d climbed on. Twilight scrambled to catch him, but Fluttershy beat her to it. With a powerful beat of her wings, the hippogryph launched up like a feathery rocket and caught Spike without much issue. “Pinkie Pie, please be more mindful of your surroundings.” “Oopsies! Sorry there, little guy!” Once Spike was safely sitting on her back again, she twisted around to nuzzle his mane, “You’re going to be the death of me,” she rumbled fondly. Rarity struck a hoof against the ground, “We’re all here. Let’s fix this door, shall we?” The unicorn lit her horn, bathing the door, the surrounding frame, and part of the tree itself, in her Magical signature. Fluttershy began to sing. It was a haunting birdsong melody that made Twilight swallow back tears for no reason. Pinkie Pie, the abnormally small pink pegasus stared fixedly at the swelling doorframe, wings half-open. “Careful of the floor,” Pinkie Pie began to murmur, “It’s getting top heavy… The mailbox needs to be moved later so it’s not in the way. There’s a root there on the left, Rarity. Fluttershy the top needs more wood to keep it attached.” Before Twilight’s eyes, the three beings grew the door, all without spending weeks drawing up the correct numbers or measuring the Magic output beforehand. It shouldn’t have been possible without catastrophic consequences; at least, that’s what she’d been told. The entire situation went against everything she’d been taught. If Twilight had been more lucid, she would’ve put up a protective shield in case something exploded, but she was too much in shock to do much more than stare with an open mouth. Fluttershy’s song ended on a low trilling note just as Rarity’s Magic fell away and Pinkie Pie finished her death-stare trance. Bon Bon clopped her hooves on the ground in applause. “Rarity, if I didn’t know, I’d say this was your cutie mark!” The earth pony exclaimed, “Amazing as always!” Twilight’s mouth, numb from hanging open so long, moved faster than her brain and she was saying, “That was incredibly unsafe,” before she could stop herself. “That could’ve ended horribly! Wood transmutation is already hard. Transmuting wood that’s still alive? You’re lucky nothing exploded! What would’ve happened if the structural integrity of the tree failed?  It would’ve crushed us and the rest of the buildings around it!” Rarity shrank back and it was then that Twilight realized she’d moved forward until she towered over the pony. Clearing her throat was a mistake since everyone flinched away from the apparent growl. Twilight stepped back when Rarity curled her lip and haughtily lifted her head. “All of you Canterlot ponies are the same,” the unicorn declared scornfully, “We know what we’re doing down here in Ponyville. A blind being could see that. All you Canterlot folk do when y’all visit is tell us how we do our own things wrong. I’m tired of it. I don’t know why I thought otherwise when a dragon came. You’re another one of the Queen’s fancy bootlicking Academy fellows, aren’t you? Goodness knows how any of those unicorns accepted that monstrous temper of yours. I’d be surprised if any of them could understand you in the first place.” Twilight’s mouth opened and closed like a fish as she struggled to comprehend the sheer audacity this unicorn had to give her, a student of the Queen who had more Magical education than this entire town put together, a dressing down. Her temper smothered like live coals when Rarity brought up her speech impediment. How dare she? Rarity Belle turned and stalked away, throwing over her shoulder, “Good day, Taskmaster. You’re welcome for the door.” Twilight hissed and a billow of smoke escaped her mouth. Bon Bon and Pinkie Pie were nowhere in sight, leaving just Fluttershy awkwardly hanging by the enlarged door. Spike silently slipped from her shoulders and began to drag their luggage in. Fluttershy said something so softly, even Twilight’s enhanced hearing couldn’t pick it up. “Pardon?” She asked irritably. “Oh! I said you’re lucky Lady Rarity was the one here instead of Lady Applejack. Lady Applejack would more likely kick down your door for the slight against the town.” The hippogryph laughed lightly, “Don’t worry, if you apologize, Rarity will forgive you.” “Nothing I said was wrong,” Twilight growled, heaving up the rest of the packs to bring inside. Fluttershy seemed to take that as permission to enter and she closed the door behind her. Fluttershy shrugged, “Maybe to you,” she half-agreed, “We’re all afraid of things we don’t understand.” What did this hippogryph know about being afraid? Fear was falling into the Dark Arts in a hidden room in Canterlot Castle knowing no one was coming. Fear was holding the limp body of her child and wondering if they were dead or not. Fear was standing before her Queen, her mentor, and telling her she failed. Her first instinct was to fire back something along the lines of not being afraid.  But how could she when the mere thought of trying to recreate what happened less than fifteen minutes ago sent bolts of terror down her spine? All the things that could go wrong were numbered in the hundreds. Shame curled in her gut, producing a sliming icky feeling. Fluttershy continued, either not noticing or uncaring of Twilight’s flattened ears and frills. Despite all that, Twilight had to admire the nerve. “Apologizing to Pinkie Pie would be the fastest. She’s one of the younger ones here, sixteen summers, I think. Her imagination runs away on her sometimes.” The shame burned its way up to the back of her throat, tainting her mouth sourly as she muttered, “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.” The hippogryph bowed her head, excusing herself to fly out of the balcony windows. The moment the being was gone, Twilight slumped to the floor and groaned. Her boxy head found its way into her claws. She dragged them down her face with a clicking and grinding noise that made her ears shrink in on themselves. Well, that was one way to enter a town, insult one of the leaders to their face even if what they were doing was completely unsafe.  For the Love of the Moon, Sun, and Stars, this was going to be a long week. Twilight rose with the sun as was her habit. Even so far away, the dragon could feel the minute tingles of her mentor’s Alicorn Magic as she raised the sun and lowered the moon. It wasn’t strong enough to give her the usual headaches and she allowed herself a smile. She stretched, scrawled a note for Spike on top of the meager oatmeal she prepared for him, and exited the library to start on the checklist. Almost immediately, she nearly crushed a Timberwolf underfoot. The wooden creature yelped and then yelped again upon catching sight of her. It fled with its bushy tail between mossy legs. Twilight sighed. Her wings shifted, sending a twinge of muscle pain down her back. More cautiously, Twilight picked her way toward Sweet Apple Acres to take a look at the accommodations Bon Bon mentioned. When she emerged from the path, her breath was stolen away by the sheer size of the farm. The entire Canterlot Castle could probably sit within the borders and there would still be room to spare. She was so busy gaping she didn’t see the blur of enraged Timberwolf until too late. It felt like a tree fell on her, which was an astute comparison. Her roar of terror became more of a wheeze as the wolf knocked the wind from her chest. Splinters broke off from the wolf’s teeth as it tried to bite anything and everything. It finally found its mark as wood sank into Twilight’s wing membrane.  The dragon twisted on the ground, flailing wildly, trying to get the huge Timberwolf away. The wolf snarled and released ground-shaking barks as it tried to tear her to pieces. Twilight finally found her wits and at the first hint of flame, the wolf was squealing and bolting for the shouting earth pony. “Winona! No! Bad dog!” the red earth pony boomed angrily, looking up at the huge Timberwolf, “Go home!” The Timberwolf whined guiltily and did as told, slinking away with a lowered head. “Ahm so sorry ‘bout that. Ah dunno what’s gotten inter her. She’s nice ter ever’one, swear it. We got firs’ aide ‘n the barn, take care that wing of yers. Need help ter stand?” As the adrenaline wore off, her muscle soreness from yesterday became more known and she winced as she rolled back onto her feet. The bite on her wing wasn’t deep and nothing had torn. Her limbs were shaking from the experience, but overall, no harm done if she didn’t count her injured dignity. She was a dragon. A Timberwolf half her size could turn her into a shrieking mess? Shameful. Twilight shook her head, dislodging stray branches, speaking as slowly as possible to be understood, “Oh, no. I’m fine. Thank you for the offer. I’m just here to check on the accommodations that are being built.” The pleasant smile on the pony slowly became more wooden as Twilight spoke but he remained polite, “‘Course! Right over this way. Ahm Macintosh. These here tents are what we have so far. Ther Winged folk can sleep in the trees.” Macintosh swept out a foreleg toward the makeshift tents that mostly leaned against the side of the main barn. They were fairly shabby and looked like a good rain would do them in. Twilight did her best not to cringe. This town could grow a door with no problem but had craftsmanship that looked like this? “You’re having out-of-town guests sleep in the trees?” Twilight demanded, deciding to address the bigger issue. She couldn’t imagine that going over well with anyone. Most of the ponies rich enough to make the journey for the Celebration would not be happy at all sleeping in a field of apple trees. “Nah! ‘Course not!” Macintosh began in affronted tones, “What do ya take us fer? Tents ‘n trees fer us. Guests sleep in the homes once ever’one moves out. Them tents easy ter put up ‘n down.” That sounded horribly inefficient, but Twilight remembered Lady Rarity’s words and wisely kept her mouth shut on what she thought. “Sounds like you have it under control, Macintosh. Thank you. I’ll check in again later in the week if that’s alright.” Twilight could’ve sworn the earth pony scowled at her before responding in a clipped tone. “‘Course.” Macintosh escorted Twilight back to the edge of the property in uncomfortable silence. Twilight got the impression she committed another faux pax, but for the life of her, she didn’t know what it was. She thanked the large earth pony again and began to make her way back to town. Halfway there, Twilight got the feeling of being followed. She stopped, growling lowly as her eyes darted every which way. Her wings unfurled and her tail twitched. She did not want a repeat of her Magic Kindergarten days. “I know you’re there. Come out.” Rainbow Dash emerged from behind a tree, “Not bad, Twilight Sparkle. Gotta be careful around here. I’ll walk with you. I have questions for you anyway.” The dragon sighed, desperately wishing for the wonderful company of her research, “What questions do you have for me?” “Well, the first thing isn’t a question for the papers. How are you settling in? Anybody give you any trouble?” Briefly, Twilight thought about bringing up Rarity or Winona, “No. Nothing.” “I hear an unspoken ‘yet’. Ya expect to be attacked here in Ponyville?” “No. Just lingering anxiety from being a dragon in a city of unicorns.” Rainbow Dash hummed in sympathy, “I hear ya. It was like that in Cloudsdale when I was a cub in Flight Camp. Me, Fluttershy, and Gilda stuck together.” “Must be nice to have friends,” Twilight muttered. “Alright, second question! Prance already asked this, but I don’t think you caught it last time. Do you have any special diet accommodations the town needs to know about? Meat? Fish?” “Excuse me?” Twilight outright growled. Did this griffon just insinuate what she thought they did? For Rainbow Dash’s part, they honestly looked surprised at Twilight’s reaction, “Um. I guess not then? Anyway, just let one of us know if that changes. Last question, is species classification. What are you?” Twilight chuffed a laugh before realizing the question was serious. She frowned. “Dragon.” Rainbow Dash still looked expectant and when Twilight didn’t answer again, she elaborated, “Yeah. What type?” Twilight stopped walking, “Are you attempting to mock me?” “What? No! I gotta put these down on paper. Dragon is too general.” “And pray to tell who needs this paper?” Twilight snarled, completely fed up with the ridiculousness of the situation. Rainbow Dash’s voice carried a bit of a growl behind it when she snapped back, “Why don’t you ask your little Queen then? Every year they have us deliver a stack of papers of all the beings that lived in town for more than a week. We’ve gotten fined on the smallest classifications. I know damn well we’ll get a fine for just writing ‘dragon’ on your little paper.” Twilight snorted in surprise, “What does the Queen need with that?” Rainbow Dash squinted at her, “I’ll come back later to ask the questions if you don’t want to answer now. See you around, Taskmaster.” “Wonderful,” she spat at Rainbow Dash’s departure, their wings buffeting wind and dust into Twilight’s face. What in the world was she doing wrong for everyone to be so upset? She snorted angrily, opening the door to the library. She had to relax her grip on the handle when the door banged into the mailbox like Pinkie Pie said it would, or else she risked the danger of breaking something in her frustration. Nine more days until the Celebration, she could do this. She could not fail another assignment. She slumped onto the table when the clock read that it wasn’t even lunchtime yet. A while later, Twilight picked up her pouch of bits to go shopping. There wasn’t much food in the building and she did not want to deal with a whining hungry child. Experience told her it wasn’t worth the trouble. In the town square, there were several stalls selling produce. Further along, near the town hall were a couple of general goods stores. Goats, ponies, and griffons easily parted as she walked past. Most simply ducked their heads a murmured a greeting before going about their day. As she shopped, Twilight began to realize that most of Ponyville’s population weren’t ponies. There were mules, a few zebras, a shiny bug-like pony that she had no idea what species they were, donkeys, minotaurs, and if Twilight wasn’t mistaken, Gem Strays. The more Twilight looked, the more species she managed to spot. “If we don’t have what you’re looking for, you can always try the Night Market,” the vendor in front of the dragon said kindly, “They offer more types of things than the normal fruits and oats.” Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Twilight smiled and nodded. She paid for the pears she was handling and continued on. As she was picking through some tomatoes, a being sidled up to them so silently, Twilight didn’t realize their presence until they spoke. “You have a good eye for fruits.” Twilight fumbled the tomato, trying not to crush it in her surprise. Setting it back down and feigning nonchalance, Twilight asked Fluttershy, “Isn’t a tomato a vegetable?” The hippogryph giggled, putting a talon under her beak in thought, “I don’t know. Everyone calls them fruit down here. Makes sense I guess. It has seeds like an apple at least.” “You’re going to give the Canterlot Scholars strokes with that type of reasoning,” Twilight snorted. “Oh dear, I don’t think I’m strong enough to pick you up if you have a stroke right now.” “I was being sarcastic.” Another giggle, “I know, I was too.” If Twilight were capable, she would’ve blushed until the tips of her strangely shaped ears. “I wouldn’t mind if you talk a little faster sometimes. I have a good ear. Most beings in this town do. Some folk might get the wrong idea.” Fluttershy smiled as much as a hippogryph could, “Big Mac wasn’t happy this morning.” Twilight grimaced, she’d apologize later, “Spike usually does the talking. I don't usually talk at all in public. I wish I could talk like you or Rainbow Dash. How do you talk perfectly without lips?” She followed Fluttershy as the hippogryph guided her to another stall. “We’re part avian,” Fluttershy said as if that should answer all of Twilight’s questions. The dragon hummed, buying a sack of oats, “What does being part bird have anything to do with talking?” “How well do you know your anatomy?” Twilight blinked, brought up short by the question, “I don’t. There’s not exactly a textbook on dragons laying around is there?” “Oh, I thought Canterlot would’ve had something like that, no? Thought they knew everything up on that mountain of theirs. Well, avians have a different voice box. Most beings here talk up here,” Fluttershy motioned higher up on Twilight’s throat, “But avians talk down here,” her talon went to rest somewhere near Twilight’s chest, “So we don’t need lips to make the sounds. Our tongue handles the airflow for the more… intricate sounds.” So much for trying to talk like a griffon, Twilight thought sullenly. Was she seriously doomed to talk like a drunkard deep in their bottles or a being talking to an incompetent child for her entire life? “That makes sense,” Twilight ended up sighing, “I don’t think I can do that. I’ll try talking faster.” Fluttershy patted Twilight’s shoulder with her wing, the highest part she could comfortably reach. “Don’t worry. We all have good ears here in Ponyville. Did you find everything you need? The Night Market opens when the sun goes down if you have more shopping.” Twilight nodded, mind still far away. “I’m glad. As your guide, if you ever need me, just find a Timberwolf and ask them for Angel. I’ll be there right away. Folks here like questions, don't be afraid to ask, alright?” “I- yeah. Yeah, thank you, Miss Fluttershy.” “No problem. Have a good lunch. I’ll take you to see the decoration process in the afternoon. If that’s alright, of course.” Twilight nodded, “I’d like that very much. Thank you.”