"Oh, good morning Sweetie," saluted Twilight Sparkle as the filly entered the kitchen "Would you like something to eat?"
She was in fact seated at the table in her kitchen, with a sizable plate of pancakes to her left, a fuming cup of tea to her right and a leather bound tome floating in front of her.
"Good morning Twilight," replied Sweetie Belle sitting at the table in front of her fellow unicorn "And thanks but no, I already had breakfast."
"All right then," said the mare finishing sipping her tea "Spike said you had something to ask, what is it?"
"You see, yesterday I tried a clone spell but -" started explaining the other.
"Wait, do you mean Mirror Sheen's spell?"
"Uhm, yes, is it forbidden or something?"
"No, it's just really difficult spell," explained Twilight with a chuckle "You don't have to worry if you couldn't cast it."
"But I casted the spell, it simply didn't turn out quite right: the clone is a little too small."
Twilight Sparkle went wide eyed at the filly's words. She put down the cup and the tome: Sweetie had gained her unconditioned attention.
"Let me get this straight," slowly said the mare "You did create the clone, but it was too small?"
"Yeah, that's what I said."
"Sweetie, do you realize what this means?"
"That I have too little magical power?"
"No, well, also that, but it means that you're more than simply talented in spellcasting!" said Twilight clapping her forehooves joyously.
"Well, thank you?" tentatively said Sweetie, who didn't see any reason to be that excited.
"I think you're missing a point here," said the older unicorn "With such a spell you can be easily accepted in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns!"
"Really?" asked the filly, her interest picked "But I can't do it right."
"If you can cast it once again for me, even if the clone turns out small, I'll teach you how to make it the right size and I'll write a letter of recommendation to the school principal!"
"You can teach me how to fix the clone? We have a deal Twilight!" said the small unicorn jumping down her chair and bolting towards the door "I'm going to fetch my notes!"
"Bring your sister too!" called the mare as the filly disappeared behind the door, before adding with a chuckle: "Foals these days..."
---
Nightmare Belle's eye flashed open as she bolted upright, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.
Panting heavily, she slowly scanned the unfamiliar room: wooden planks composed the floor, the walls and the ceiling, simple furnishing and pale yellow curtains could be seen around the room. She sighed in relief realizing she was in the crusaders' clubhouse.
"My first night in this new body and I have a nightmare," she chuckled at the absurdity of the situation, but it was more like a nervous chuckle.
She thought back to her dream: it had been something more akin to a flashback of the previous day, more in particular the moments right after the ritual.
What will you do once this is over?
The dark filly fell back into lying position and let her gaze wander the ceiling as she mulled over Sweetie's words.
Could it be that she had misinterpreted them?
Nightmare shook her head to dismiss the thougth: it was simply impossible that anypony could accept her, let alone grow attached to her.
She let out another nervous chuckle, but this time a lone tear ran down her muzzle.
"What's wrong with me?" she asked herself slamming a forehoof on the floor, her tone a mix of self-pity, anger and disgust "I'm the terrible Nightmare Moon, I shouldn't worry over that foal!"
Like a wave retreating from the seashore, the anger subsided leaving behind a confused and sad filly.
Could it be that she had got it all wrong?
---
The piece of chalk danced through the room, obeying Sweetie's command and drawing on the library floor the same magic circle she had drawn the day before.
"I'm concerned Twilight," said Rarity watching her sister draw the complex glyphs that adorned the outer part of the circle "I think I should have noticed my sister becoming good at magic, yet..."
"Don't worry Rarity," said Twilight with a gentle smile putting a hoof on her shoulder "Luckily, not everypony turns its parents into potted plants, moreover it seems she was unaware of it herself."
"I'm ready Twilight," announced Sweetie Belle "We can start when you want."
"Then start please, I can't wait to see somepony else use this spell."
Sweetie nodded started chanting the spell as her horn got enchased in her usual emerald aura.
"Uhm, Twilight, why is she singing?" Rarity whispered to her friend.
"It seems Sweetie is full of surprises," said the other in awe "Voice casting is pretty rare, but sang casting is something right out of history books!"
"I think I never heard of it..."
"To put it simply, it lets the caster empower the spells by singing certain formulas," explained Twilight in a very professional tone "It also helps making the spell more stable."
"So she wasn't a slow developer, just doing it wrong for her!"
"I think so."
Meanwhile Sweetie, unaware of her peculiar way of casting the spell or of the whispered dialogue, completed the chant and fired a bright green beam towards the circle, which reacted exactly as it had done the previous day. The dark cloud that originated from it condensed into a small sized clone of the filly, who simply stood there, blinking every now and then, more or less like Gummy usually did.
Sweetie fell back on her haunches, exhausted. She briefly wondered if it was due to Nightmare's absence or simply she hadn't recovered yet from her first try.
"That's wonderful, Sweetie!" said Twilight inspecting the clone with critical eye (and hoof, since she was mainly poking at her).
"Really?" asked the filly panting.
"Is it supposed to be that small?" asked Rarity after having ascertained that her sister wasn't hurt.
"No Rarity, but it's still much more than many unicorns can do," said Twilight with a sincere smile, levitating a small book out of a shelf and placing it in front of Sweetie.
"What's this?" asked the filly raising an eyebrow.
"It's a gift, it will help you improve your magic," explained the other "And it contains the enlargement spell to fix the clone."
Sweetie tackled the lavender mare into a hug and said: "Thank you Twilight!"
---
Dear princess Celestia,
today I discovered a little prodigy here in Ponyville: Sweetie Belle, Rarity's little sister is capable of casting Mirror Sheen's clone spell, and she's a sing caster to booth!
I suggested her to apply in your School for Gifted Unicorns, I hope you don't have anything against it.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle
Celestia frowned reading Twilight's letter. She knew that something wasn't right, but she did not have any proof.
Certain that it was the only line of action, she wrote her answer.
Dear Twilight,
if I recall well, young Sweetie Belle was one of the three fillies who made a contract with the nightmare, even if unknowingly. Being that the case, I advice that you keep an eye on her for the next couple of days, let me know if you notice anything strange.
Your mentor,
Celestia