//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Breakfast and Bombshells // Story: Everharted // by Camlio //------------------------------// "Souls are the power of the vessel, and the most powerful focus of this is the Essence of the Ward. A precious energy willfully given in an ultimate act of trust that would cement the vessel and the living soul of the ward's pact beyond any question. Though I only wonder if your little ponies can readily partake in this commitment, because without it, the vessel will never reach it's true potential." - Anecdote from The creator of the Vessel while speaking to Princess Celestia You had awoken just as breakfast was being prepared. The smell of eggs and honey wafted through the air and came to rest in your nostrils. For the first time since you'd acquired the vessel, you actually felt hungry. Perhaps it was something the vessel's creator thought would allow you to better blend in with the world at large, and had it locked away until enough energy could be acquired to replicate how a stomach worked. Whatever the cause, your body commanded you to seek nourishment. As you ascended the stairs from the lab that doubled as your bedroom, you were met by a rather sleepy lavender unicorn who was groggily making her way to the kitchen. She was heading towards a kettle that had begun to whistle, signaling hot water for something caffeinated. A half-hearted "Morning, Spirit." was all you received, which caused you to chuckle as you walked beside her. The whelp of a purple and green drake you had met briefly before was cooking diligently. It seemed he had even made a pot of coffee. "Good morning, Miss Sparkle, Master Drake." You say with a slight bow as the whelp turned around after hearing you speak. He chuckled like a child would at being called Master Drake. The fact that you sounded like a butler fit for a crusader, with that impression, only seemed to add to his laughter. "He's cool Twilight, I approve." The little drake said with a smile as he placed a few eggs and muffins on some plates, as well as a small salad for Twilight. The odd look he received from both you and Twilight seemed to make him pause. "What, aren't you dating?" He asked. This caused Twilight to do a spit-take in a truly cartoonish fashion. "What?! No, what even... no!" Twilight sputtered out with a heavy blush on her face. "Why would we be dating? I mean we've barely known each other for four days." She asked, looking at Spike in an odd manner. "Doesn't having somepony else's cutiemark on your clothes and stuff mean you're dating?" He asked as he motioned to you, or more accurately, the copy of Twilight's cutiemark that had embroidered itself on your cloak. Understanding now, Twilight was able to formulate a response. "Spike, Spirit and I aren't dating. That cloak of his let's him know when his wards, which are ponies he needs to protect, are in trouble. Usually, this is sent through a signal into the cutiemark on his cloak." She turned from Spike to you, a proud smile adorning her features. "Princess Celestia sent me a book on the Vessel, and told me to study it, since we don't know if you can read Equestrian. Just in case I could answer any questions that you may have." She said with a smile, most likely hoping that you'd ask a question no doubt. "Well, I have a few, but let's finish breakfast first. It would be a shame to allow it to turn cold." You say with a chuckle as the pony and drake both nod in agreement and tuck into their food. After breakfast was finished, you and Twilight made sure that the library was closed and that nopony would disturb you two as you learned exactly what the vessel was capable of. Twilight sat down on a cushion on the floor, while your cloak seemed to find the ability to turn into a fully functioning replica of the chair you were always drawn to. This was a handy ability to have in this world, where everything was just a few inches too short of comfortable. Twilight giggled a bit as she saw you sit down. The heavy tome about the Vessel floated next to her in a cloud of her lavender magic. "Okay Spirit, before we begin I want to ask, is there anything you want to know immediately?" She asked, noticing the anxious expression on your face. Was it really that obvious? "I was hoping to find out if there was another manner of accessing the abilities my cloak seems to possess, without it giving up it's current form. While I must admit it is rather entertaining to see it transform to and from various objects and gadgets, the time it takes seems to be a bit too long to be worth while." You admit while watching Twilight scour the book for any info pertaining to the idea you described. Her eyes actually lit up as she found it, but it didn't help that she gained a heavy blush before she nodded. "Yes, there is Spirit. B-But, it takes a bit of the essence of your ward to create the object." Somehow, the way she said essence unsettled you, and brought back memories of your last chat with Luna. About the child soul bound to the vessel… "You can have several of them actually, they're called Cinders of Hope, and will float around the Vessel as lights in the color of the ward’s essence energy." She blushed again at that before shaking her head and continuing. "They're basically an extremely portable version of the transformations held within the cloak and will update as the cloak gains abilities." She explained with a soft smile, as if excited by the idea of helping you create such a device. This caused her to blush again, making you wonder what could get the librarian so flustered about the mention of this essence. "Although, for more cinders to be made, there needs to be more wards attached to you. So for now, you'd be limited to one." You think for a moment before having to address the thought bugging you. "While that does seem like a very handy tool to have, I must inquire how I go about obtaining a Ward's Essence. If it's caused you to be so very flustered, then I must admit it seems rather... well… awkward." You explain, hoping to blow off the feeling of unease settling in your stomach. What Twilight said next though, dashed that hope. "Y-You obtain the essence through an intimate act." Was all she was able to say before blushing furiously.