//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: One Mistake Was All It Took // by Seth Typofather //------------------------------// Snoring on a hammock Trixie snuggled up in the blanket that was wrapped around her, the blanket protecting her from the itchiness of the hammock. “Wake up.” Zecora commanded sternly, nudging Trixie. Rolling over the azure unicorn glared at the perpetrator with sleepy eyes. “It’s not even morning…” She groaned to Zecora who looked as awake as can be despite it still being dark outside. “The first light me counts as morning, now get up and we shall begin your training.” Zecora commanded again. “Five more hours…” With that, Trixie turned over and snuggled into the blanket. Rolling her eyes, the shaman placed a hoof on the side of the hammock and spun it, sending Trixie flying out onto the floor with the blanket unraveling as she tumbled across the room. “I’m up, I’m up!” “Good.” Smiled Zecora. “Now eat up your breakfast quickly, we have a lot to go through this day.” Obeying without question, Trixie bit down on the grass sandwich set out for her on the desk she previously read her books. Every time she chewed her head stung, the wound had still not healed, but what hurt more was her pride than anything else. Magic was her life, if there was any glimmer of hope to regain that power once more, she would take it with the best of her ability. Picking up a cup with her hooves she reluctantly sipped it. “Eegh! What is this stuff?!” Spat Trixie. “Tea.” Replied Zecora. “It helps relax the nerves.” “More like poison them.” “You have never rested for one minute in your life have you?” Asked the zebra, setting up a few things. Now that she had thought about it, with the stress of being a slandered travelling performer, living up to her parent’s expectations as well has having to lose her horn which only added to it all. Not once had she had a good nights sleep since becoming part of the family business. Her family was a long line of travelling performers which descended from unicorn Gypsies and not one of her relatives can she remember being lax about their work or simply having fun. No, it was all business and it was for the sake of tradition. She was the first Lulamoon in centuries to have broken the cycle of travelling performers. Her father must have received a letter regarding her incident and is probably on his way to Ponyville right now. Heck, he might bring the whole family to disown her. A second cup of tea was held out, Trixie eyed it carefully. “Do not be afraid, just try it.” Zecora reassured. “Thanks…” Trixie smiled a little, taking the cup and sipping the tea. Tasted rather sweet. Taking a second sip she soon began drinking down the whole cup until she was wide awake from the natural sugars in the honey Zecora added to sweeten the taste. “So what’s first?” “Potion making relates to alchemy quite a bit.” Zecora answered. “Math being one of them.” “Math?!” Moaned Trixie, slumping her forelegs against her sides like a foal. “Yes, math.” The shaman smirked, tossing down a box full of ingredients and a sheet of instructions. “Follow each direction exactly, if not we shall repeat this the next day.” “How long…?” “Until you get it right.” Replied Zecora, standing on her staff and eyeing her student carefully. “Now begin, for time is tight.” It was amazing how she could easily balance herself on such a stick that would most surely snap under an uncoordinated pony’s weight. Unrolling the sheet to get a clear view, Trixie read the ingredients through with numbers depicting their mathematical weight and how much to add. Rummaging through the box she brought out the first ingredient, raw magic ore, a base material for potion making to be infused into items. Tapping the flask she placed a piece of ore into the empty test tube, earning her a smack on her back with the staff. “Ow! Hey!” She turned to glare daggers at Zecora who was still standing on the staff in a mediative pose. “How did you-? What…how…wha-…” “Hm? Did you measure their mass and weight on the scales?” Asked Zecora, as if nothing had happened, with an open eye. Sitting on the other side of the equipment were scales, grumbling at herself for missing such an important detail, Trixie shook the test tube until the piece landed on the scales. Looking at the sheet again then the measurements, the azure unicorn nodded then placed the ore into the test tube once again. The next ingredient on the list was a quarter of a litre of manticorn venom, gently dripped. Now how in the world does gently dripping non volatile venom of all things require drops when it requires a quarter of a litre? Ignoring the drip instruction, Trixie simply pours the amount in the tube. The test tube, as a result, shook violently before the mixture released a noxious fume that stung her eyes. “It burns!” Shrieked the azure unicorn as she ran circles around the table. “How does this even happen!? It wasn’t even volatile!” She continued scream, tossing herself out the window and into a pond. Zecora rested against the window frame, staring down with an amused smile. “If you are quite done disturbing my Koi, student, try and repeat but remain prudent.” Spitting out water with a matted mane against her face, Trixie grumbled as she parted her wet mane to glare at the zebra who was still smiling. If the azure unicorn could make up a word for this felt, she would. The most she can call that smile is pleasantly annoying. The kind of smile that says that you screwed up, but can learn from it. ==++==++==++== “Alright, so we gotta send this message to her parents?” Asked a small purple dragon, holding a paper and quill. “You know they’re ‘travelling’ performers? I can’t pinpoint their location and I dunno where they are to magic breath them a letter.” He threw his arms up. “That won’t be necessary, I’ll have Ditzy Doo deliver it to their next gig. Which so happens to be here in a few days!” Replied Twilight, levitating the letter from her assistant’s grip and into an envelope addressed to the Luluamoon performers. “I hope they’ll at least be supportive as me and my friends were..” “Why? It’s not like witchcraft is any different from unicorn magic.” Pointed out Spike, hopping onto a stool, swinging his stubby legs. Tapping her chin with a hoof, Twilight had to admit he had a point. But one thing set unicorn magic from witchcraft. “Well you see, unicorn magic is something that comes from one’s self. Alchemy and potion making is magic taken from nature to implement into one’s power, a barbaric form of magic that has a negative reputation over the ages. Why do you think Zecora has a higher level of magical concentration despite the fact she has no horn?” “Magical wha?” The lavender unicorn rolled her eyes. “Nevermind.” She chuckled, holding out the letter to Spike. "Just deliver this to the mail office, please. And here's some bits for some of those sapphire cupcakes you like." "Score!" Fist pumped Spike, sprinting out the door. ==++==++==++== Hours have passed since Trixie had to redo the assignment for the hundredth and sixty fifth time. One concoction briefly muting her after a dash of poison joke into the mix, it at least gave Zecora some quiet time to meditate. “Ruby dust, a quarter of an iron ingot, three gold nuggets and set the bunsen burner to oxygenated mode.” Yawned the azure unicorn, her head slamming against the table for a quick snooze. “Then let it burn for twenty minutes…” She finished. “Go rest a while.” Spoke Zecora, resting on the staff with her head. “Thanks…” Yawned Trixie, setting the timer on the table for twenty minutes. Lugging herself off the desk she dragged her hooves at a snails pace, slumping on her hammock. Opening one eye to make sure her student was asleep, the shaman slunk down off her staff with the finesse of an olympic gymnast. This was not meant to take this long at all, unless somepony was truly stupid enough. Eyeing the sheet she had given Trixie to work with, she noticed an error. The sheet was double sided, one for higher grade potion making and one for first grade. And to her surprise, Trixie had chosen to do the professional level as apposed to the first grade she was meant to do. There was no way she would have missed the other side, judging by how the paper is curled like a scroll. “Not so slow after all.” Smiled Zecora, tossing a blanket over the slumbering unicorn who snuggled into it. “You rest, I shall handle it for now until you awaken by the rooster’s call.” Trixie replied with a deep snore, mumbling things in her sleep. “zzz…Witness the power of…zzz…” She drooled, turning over in the hammock. A small box on a shelf shook slightly, glowing with a red aura. Zecora glared at the box, grabbing a talisman with her hoof and shaking it at the box, whispering incantations. “With the likes of you, she is now safe and incompatible. Your attempts now are most laughable.” The box stopped shaking, almost growling in defeat.