Magic, the energy that gives us life and prosperity, comes in many forms. It's in the air, the ground, the water and even in all of us. Used for good or for evil, magic is a boundless trove of wonder and mystery. My name is Twilight Sparkle. I have studied magic for most of my life and I still have so much to learn. Even with all my studies I never expected what was to come in these few past months, but now I will prepare those who come after.
Our story begins in the town of Ponyville. Ponies of all shapes and sizes talking and doing their daily chores as vendors sell their wares to passersbies. While at the Sugar Cube Corner, fillies of all ages enjoy their sweets before heading to school. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara come out, giggling with a snobbish tone. The door closes with a jingle of its bell as they begin to trot over, rather slowly, to Ponyville High School.
Diamond Tiara huffs with annoyance as she turns to Silver Spoon, "I don't know why I of all ponies still have to go to this disgusting high school. I mean, I'm obviously the most intelligent of all the ponies here.”
She flips her mane as they begin to trot up the stairs to the entrance. Silver Spoon chuckles, pushing open the door, "I know, right? Wish your daddy would figure that out."
Silver Spoon steps forward and holds the door open for Diamond Tiara. Silver Spoon feels as though she needs to bow to Diamond Tiara as she trots in. When she takes a step forward, however, an orange blur flashes by her, making her spin on her hooves before falling onto her stomach.
After collecting herself, she turns to yell furiously, "Who just did that?"
"Oh, calm down, Diamond Tiara. It’s not like you chipped your hoof or anything." Laughed the pegasus Scootaloo who , wore her pads and helmet with a shiny blue and silver scooter under her hooves. She turns away from Diamond Tiara and climbs onto the scooter, showing off her cutie mark of a scooter with a lightning bolt striking through it. Her purple mane spikes out at the top of her head while her wings curl up against her side ready to push off in a moment’s notice.
Scootaloo calls over her shoulder, "Now if you’ll excuse me, I am late for history class, so..." She zips off in the blink of an eye, shooting a gust of wind at the ponies around her. "See ya!”
Feeling the air in her mane, Scootaloo flies through the hallways, her scooter’s wheels passing over the smooth tile floor as if she were on ice, her wings beating faster than any humming bird. She whistles by pony after pony before screeching to a halt at Room 211 labeled history. Folding up her scooter so it fits into her saddlebag and taking off her pads and helmet, she pushes open the door to casually trot over to her desk next to the earth pony Apple Bloom and the unicorn Sweetie Belle. She looks at Apple Bloom as she sits down, flashing a smile before giving her a hoof bump.
"Hey, Apple Bloom! Hopefully I didn't miss anything."
"Nah, y'all ain’t missed nothin’. Mr. Hoofstein is late anyway," she tips up her red cowgirl hat that covered braided mane that traveled down her back with one large loop at the bottom close to the middle. Her body was slender with sweat bands around her legs. She swishes her tail that brushes against her cutie mark of an apple with a black belt wrapped around it.
Scootaloo tilted her head in confusion, "Huh, that isn't like him at all. I mean when I’m always late he is always, like, 30 minutes early."
"Maybe you finally got to him, Scootaloo," Scootaloo turns her head when hearing Sweetie Belle’s voice. Scootaloo laughs when she notices Sweetie Belle holding a mirror up to her face to adjust her streaked purple mane around her ears into small buns but laid out the further down her back. Sweetie Belle hums the lullaby she wrote that gave her the cutie mark of a microphone with a sparkling star on the handle.
"Now that would be something awesome!" The three friends laughed together only to be interrupted by a stern cough from the door of the classroom. The chattering ponies quickly fall silent as Mr. Hoofstein slowly trots into the room. He wore a pair of glasses and a suit with a V-neck. He uses his magic to adjust his tie before stopping in front of the board. He coughed to clear his throat, then looked out towards the class, "Now class, today we have a special lesson. But before we begin, who knows what the three basic battle magic types are?" When he looked around and found no quick awsners, he sighs and pointed to a young pink and green mane mare.
She took a deep breath before standing, "The three basic battle magic types are known as Sorcery, Conjuring and Scripted magic."
He nods to her, "That is correct. Well done, Candy. Now who can describe to me what Sorcery magic consists of?"
He blinks as a colt raises his hoof standing to answer. "Sorcery is the most basic out of the three battle magics. It consists of different spells that require specific factors. For example, if we used sorcery magic in this room, it may come out as turning the walls into a type of rock or boulder. Maybe even water since we are below sea level."
Mr. Hoofstein nods slowly, allowing the colt to sit down. "Very good. This magic is used today by the Royal Guard to pursue criminals and protect ponies throughout the world. Another example would be basic levitation and transportation magic" He stopped, adjusted his glasses, then coughs before beginning again. "Next is conjuring magic. What pony would like to describe this kind of magic?"
Another colt stands almost instantly, "Conjuring magic is one of the coolest magic out there! It allows whatever pony that uses it to summon objects or creatures to aid them. This is also why it’s called the Magic of Imagination. For example, Princess Luna can summon swords and other types of weaponry to help her in battle. Like when she and Princess Celestia fought against King Sombra during the Crystal War. Luna summoned wheels of blades that were bathed in moonlight to deflect Sombra's attacks!" He spoke with such enthusiasm, but was hushed by Mr. Hoofstein.
"That is a correct and very... uh, well, studied example. Conjuring magic goes across plains of different realms as well as a pony's own imagination. Next is the magic of Script," Mr. Hoofstein says as he hovers over a cup of coffee. "There is very little knowledge about this kind of magic, but it is rumored to be the building blocks of all magic. It is said that this magic can only be used if the right phrase and amount of magic power is produced for the spell the user wishes to cast. Also, it is known as god magic or even elemental magic." He takes a quick sip of his coffee before clearing his throat once again. "Now that the review is over, I would like to get started with our next assignment." He was going to his desk and was picking up a stack of papers when the intercom turned on with a loud bing.
"This is your principal speaking, I need all classes to head to the auditorium for a special announcement." A mare said over the speaker.
Scootaloo tilts her head confused at the announcement, but just merely shrugs as Apple Bloom nudges her saying, "Wonder what this is about. I don’t think I remember the principal ever calling all classes to anything before."
"I know right? I wonder if something has happened." says Sweetie Belle, who stands up putting her saddlebag on as the class stands to trot out into the hallway. As Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom walk into the bustling hallway, the teachers begin herding the students towards the auditorium. Scootaloo follows behind Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle who look around the hallway in silence. Scootaloo notices that the teachers shutting their doors as the last student comes out before getting on the side of the crowd. Mr.Hoofstein trots up next to Scootaloo and gives a small nod before turning to look ahead.
The confusion was heavy in the hallways. Students looked right and left while some just let their heads lay low as if trying to hide from something. Others chatted amongst themselves with the new given freedom of having to sit in class. Scootaloo trots up to get between Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle who both were staying silent with nervous looks on their faces.
Scootaloo’s ears flipped up as she heard the chattering of voices up ahead, making her look up to see that the auditorium was up a head. Two teachers stood on either side telling students to go inside and sit down. As Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle walked inside the silence turned into cheers as the lights turned shined toward the stage where Celestia and Luna stood talking to the principal.
“What are the princesses doin ere?” Said Apple Bloom as the mares take a seat.
“I have no idea but it has to be important to have to go through all of this.” Says Sweetie Belle.
Scootaloo nods as the whispers finally died down by Celestia spreading her wings. She looks into the crowd of ponys and smiles before levitating two clear rings with microphones attached to them. The devices shimmered as the lights touch them with brilliant colors coating the stage. Putting them on her head then onto Luna’s, who flicked her ears adjusting it as it rubs against her horn, and clears her throat.
“It is such a pleasure that I could be here today to talk with you young mares and colts. I first would like to apologize for pulling you out of your classes so suddenly but Luna and I have something to tell all of you.” Celestia says as her horn glows pushing the curtains away to reveal a large white screen. A soft click echos through the auditorium as an projector shoots magical hologram onto the screen revealing a red coated earth pony. The earth pony’s mane was black and long running down his shoulders and back while his tail goes down to his lower thighs. A long scar goes across his right eye while his left one stays a light brown. The hologram rotates a 3 dimensional pony turning him so his cutie mark is shown as a dagger crossing over a book with a white star on the cover.
Once the image comes up onto the screen Luna steps up and begins to speak, “What pony can tell me what breed of pony can use magic?” Luna asks. Almost instantly several hoofs shot up from the audience craving to answer. Luna smiles at how many hooves were raised but she points with her hoof to Candy who stands up quickly.
“That’s an easy one princess Luna! That would be Unicorns.” Candy says with a prideful smile across her face.
Luna chuckles then replies as Candy sits down, “Yes that is correct, however, what if I told you that there was a exception? That even earth ponies and pegasi were able to use magic?
Candy tilts her head, “but that’s impossible. Earth ponies and pegasi can’t use magic without a horn.”
“That is true, but there has been some special cases where we have had ponies that can use magic who don’t have horns.” Says Celestia as she steps forward and nods toward the pony in the hologram.
"We have decided to show you something that has been kept away for years. Only the Royal Guard has known, but we believe it is time to allow it to be known as well as taught. The earth pony you see on the screen is known as Rocketo. He was part of a group that we named “The Mystics”. When the group first rose to power they were able to defeat anypony in their path and never showed misery. They were a group of ponies that had the ability to use magic, even though, none of them were unicorns, or even related to one. The one thing that made these ponies stand out was the way they used their magic. The color of their irises would change and a black fog, almost like flames, would surround their eyes. This is what symbolizes the use of their magic, just like how a unicorn’s horn glows when they use magic."
The audience lies in silence, listening intently. Even Scootaloo gives her full attention, amazed by the information that she just can’t believe it. As she looks at the earth pony on screen, she notices his dark red coat and black mane. She also noticed his left ear is missing a small piece, almost as if it was cut off. A long scar crosses over his left eye. His flanks seem unharmed but slender with rippling muscles down his legs. His cutie mark is like nothing she has ever seen before.
Celestia points to a chart next to Rocketo's figure where a few of his characteristics are listed, but the one thing that catches Scootaloo's eye was the magic category and the criminal record. Celestia interrupts her train of thought, "Rocketo was known to be the leader of the Mystics. His intellect as well as his experiences with Sorcery magic was like nothing we had ever seen. Being able to use Sorcery magic, he was able to freeze anything or anypony in a block of ice, but his magic ignored all the basic laws of Sorcery magic. No matter where he was or the conditions of battle, he was in, Rocketo was able to use ice magic. When he uses his magic, his eyes turn to red, showing every pony how bloodthirsty he was."
She pauses for a moment to see if anypony had questions but then speaks again, "In addition to being able to use ice magic, Rocketo was also able to use the daggers attached to his flanks. These daggers, along with his ice magic, gave him the nickname, Scarlet Dancer."
She waits once more for any questions, and when none came, she nods and the projectors clicks to the next page. However, this time it displays another pony, a pegasus mare. Scootaloo has stars in her eyes as the pegasus was shown with the symbol of The Mystics next to her photo. She notices her blue eyes and large wings. Unlike Rocketo, this mare is very sleek and had a long dark purple mane that covered her shoulder blades, draping down on the right portion of her face. Scootaloo looks careful at the statistics on this mare’s chart, noting her magic being called “Necromancy”.
What kind of magic is that? she thinks as she lounges back into her chair.
Luna steps up, pointing with her wing toward the holographic image. "This Mystic is known as Raven, nicknamed The Reaper. She used the magic art of Conjuring. Her eyes would glow a dark purple. She would use her magic to call upon deadly weapons of darkness. Her favorite weapon was known as the Death Scythe which she swung and held in her wings with very little effort. She also labeled her magic as ‘Necromancy’. Raven would use her scythe to cut down her victims with incredible speed, slicing off limbs and even cutting ponies in half that dared defy her. When she and Celestia fought years ago, she matched even her strength when it came to her magic weaponry.”
Celestia steps forward again as Luna finishes, “These ponies were a evolutionary icon for what Equestria can be in the future, however, since the deaths of the Mystics years ago we havnt encountered any other ponies with such abilities.” As Celestia looks up at the crowd of young colts and mares two royal guardsmen walk into the auditorium and nod to her. She nods back beforing continuing, “Sadly that is all we have time for students. Now study hard and remember. Not everything is always as they seem.”
Scootaloo, amazed after hearing about a pegasus that could use magic finds herself, for the first time during her life, not wanting to leave. Her heart thumps with excitement as if doing one of her intense stunts, but this was something more. Something that couldn't be beaten by doing a measly stunt. Sighing, she stands up, getting her saddlebag as the princesses say their goodbyes. Scootaloo trots out with the other students behind her. She shakes her head coming, back from her day-dreams as the final bell pierces her ears.
Wow that was perfect timing. Scootaloo thought as she walks down the hallway with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom next to her. They get to the front door pushing it open before trotting outside into the warm, refreshing sunlight.
"Hey girls, want to go see what Twilight's doing? I heard she was renting rooms out in her castle, like a hotel or something," Sweetie Belle says as she puts her mirror away into her saddlebag.
"Sure, don't see why not. Could be fun to see what ponies be passin through," says Apple Bloom.
“Isn’t she only doing that until the new hotel is being built? I mean I can’t see her trying to keep up with that for very long.” Scootaloo says as they head out toward the middle of town. Passing by pony after pony, Scootaloo begins looking around. She sees butterflies flutter in for the flowers that bloom in the sun letting, their wings glow like small moons. She then spots Pinkie Pie jumping in her kitchen window bringing her famous cupcakes over to the young fillies, who are playing jump rope outside on the cobblestone pathway.
Before she knows it, they reach Twilight's castle. Walking inside, they look up with astonishment at how high the ceilings were compared to her old tree house library. The marble flooring and sparkling crystal walls so polished that their reflections can be seen. They walk through the front door onto a red carpet that seems to go on forever, only to turn left to where Twilight sits at her reception desk with room keys and sign-in sheet. A young stallion is talking to her as they walk up. Twilight points at her sign-in sheet, handing him a key as he begins signing his name.
Scootaloo looks at the colt with questionable eyes, noticing his short blue and white mane going down his back, outlining his shoulders. His tail is thick, brushing past his cutie mark, a hoof engulfed in blue flames. She can’t quite see his eyes or face. On his back is an old, brown saddlebag that looks as if it’s been through a typhoon, covered in cuts and tears as well as stains of mud.
I wonder where this colt came from? Scootaloo thinks to herself.
As they get up to the counter, they overhear Twilight speak to him, "Okay, now that you signed in, you just need to go up the stairs and take a left on the second floor, and your room will be three doors to your left."
"Excellent, thank you," he says as he turns and bumps into Scootaloo, causing her to slip on the marble floor. Just before she falls, he catches her. He quickly helps her up onto her hooves. “Oh, I am terribly sorry. I wasn't paying attention."
Scootaloo shakes herself before looking up to speak, "its okay, no big de..."
She looks up, his brown eyes meeting her's. Her heart begins to race as she finds herself unable to break her gaze from his soft chocolate brown eyes. She can feel a blush crawl across her face, but snaps out of it turning her gaze away from him, clearing her throat.
"M-my name’s Scootaloo. What’s yours?" she tries asking without sounding so nervous.
He smiles, standing up straight. "My name is Fang. It’s nice to meet you, Scootaloo."