“Now, if you decrease your magical output, but focus the aura more tightly around an object, you can increase the efficiency with which you use your telekinesis,” the princess said as she stood in front of a group of three unicorn students, each of varying colors, ages and magical skill.
One was pale white with a flowing light pink and purple mane. The princess could remember when the mare had been barely as tall as her leg, and her voice had squeaked when she got excited. It did not squeak now, as she spoke up for the first time since class began an hour earlier. Rather, it was smooth and silky, a far cry from her younger days. “But Princess, if you reduce your output, how can you manipulate the object effectively? It seems to me that, rather than hold back, you should try and increase your magic reserves as much as you can, and then you would eventually be able to move any object you wished.”
“Well, Sweetie Belle, you are half right. You should, of course, try to increase your reserves. However, learning to be more efficient in output is always useful. If you do both, then it would eventually be many times easier to move something than if you only increased your reserves. As for effective manipulation, by focusing the aura tightly around it, you can produce a magical density equal to that of a larger, less concentrated output. Do you understand now?”
“Yes, Princess. Thank you for explaining.” While Sweetie Belle's special talent was singing, she was still very gifted in magic. The other two were good, but not on Sweetie Belle’s level... yet. They were both much younger than she was.
“Sugar Plum, you have exceptional control over your output. Would you mind giving a demonstration?” the princess said, turning to a young mare with a pale purple coat and a light blue mane. She kept her mane short, claiming that it often got in her way.
“Sure. Whatever,” the girl said, standing and sauntering forward. She was a very melancholic individual, but had an eagerness to learn. And pick on her classmates. Especially- “Hey Shining, catch!” she shouted, levitating a heavy statue and tossing it towards the third student, Shining Star, who caught the massive object with little trouble.
“Suuugaaar that’s not funny! What if I hadn’t caught it? I’d be dead. And then you’d be short a marefriend! Sometimes you are so careless…”
“Careless? Love, look closer. I never let go of it. I wouldn’t have let it reach you, and you know that.”
“I…” she trailed off as she sat the statue back down. “I know you wouldn’t hurt me…”
The Princess cleared her throat loudly, and interrupted the couple. “Now, Sweetie Belle, what you just witnessed was an example of both large reserves, and efficient magic output.”
“It was also really cute,” she added, smiling warmly at Shining and Sugar. SugarShine, as everypony called them. Their open affection often made her... uncomfortable. “Princess, why–”
“Twilight! Twiiiillliiight!”
“Hey! That’s Princess Twilight to you!”
“Easy, Sweetie Belle. What is it my dear assistant?”
“Alicorn… Amulet! Missing!” The light blue mare’s mouth opened a couple of times frantically as her eyes darted around in panic.
“Trixie, calm down. Explain what happened,” the princess coaxed as she trotted next to Trixie and lay her wing over the assistant’s back. Lowering her head, as she was somewhat taller, she looked her assistant in the eye and addressed her. “Better?”
“Yes ma’am…”
“Now... what happened?”
“You know how sometimes I go to the amulet’s chamber to reflect on my… many mistakes. Well it felt a bit odd when I entered the room… there wasn’t a pull in my mind like there usually is-I never give in to it, by the way.” The princess nodded, her gaze warm, but serious all the same. “When I lit the lamps, I saw that it was gone… the thief wasn’t even subtle about it! The bell jar was shattered, and I found the guards tied up in a corner.”
“Did you notice anything else?” Sweetie Belle asked as she stepped forward and stood tall over Trixie.
“There was some blood of the floor, but I figured that it was from the guards.”
“Sugar Plum, would you please gather the other 5 elements, and their apprentices? I feel they may be needed. As for you Shining Star, I need you to send a letter Princess Celestia.” The two nodded in unison and dashed out into the hall.
“Princess, am I to assist in the investigation? I think my afterimage spell might help.”
“Of course. The rest of the founding Crusaders will arrive with the elements." Twilight paused, a faint smile crossing her lips for a brief moment. "It will be good to see our friends again… Trixie, take us to the crime scene. We must get started as soon as possible.”
As they galloped through the castle, Twilight could see the fear in her assistant’s strained face. She was no doubt remembering her own time with the Alicorn Amulet, and how hard she had worked to make up for her crimes.
Sweetie Belle surprised them both by asking her first. “Hey, Trixie, you okay? You look down.”
“Yes, Miss Belle. I’m just worried. When I had the Amulet, all I did was antagonize Ponyville. What if someone really bad got a hold of it? Someone like… I don‘t know, Sombra! Anyone worse than me, really. The thought just… it scares me, you know?”
“Don’t worry, Trixie. I’ll find who did it and we’ll stop them before they hurt anypony," Sweetie said, trying to ease the mare's mind.
“Thank you… but I hope you aren’t planning to use the same strategy that I fell for. I don’t think it would work on anypony else.”
“Yeah I’m pretty sure ‘The Great and Gullible Trixie’ is the only one dim enough to fall for a fake amulet!” came a mocking voice from above Trixie.
“Ah, Rainbow Dash! You got here rather quick. It’s only been ten minutes since I sent for you.” The princess turned towards the hovering pegasus, with her rainbow colored mane and heavily decorated jacket. “You’re still in uniform?”
“Yes ma‘am, I was on my way here after today’s drills. Captain Spitfire and I have really upped the training regimen for new recruits. Glad I’m not them!” she said as she dropped to the floor, the hoof fall echoing through out the broad hallway. “Can’t say the same for–”
“SWEEETIIIEE BEEELLLEEE!!!” an orange pegasus mare screamed as she tackled the aforementioned unicorn, causing her to topple to the ground.
“–Scootaloo. Kid you’re way behind. That’s not what I expect of you.”
“Sorry Captain! I won’t let it happen again!” she replied, springing up with a salute. It still felt odd, hearing one of her best friends called Captain. Of course, Twilight always knew that it was coming. She even had her own team, the Wonderbolts First Aerial Reconnaissance Squad, nicknamed the Rainbolts.
“Scootaloo, how have you been? I’ve missed you so much! I would’ve written to you, but Princess Twilight has kept me busy with my studies,” the unicorn said as she nuzzled her old friend’s cheek affectionately.
“It’s okay, I’ve been busy too. I guess Bloom isn’t here yet?”
“No, not yet. But I’m sure she will be soon. After all, my sister’s boutique isn’t that far from here. So I guess that means that Spike will be here soon too! Oh I haven’t seen that overgrown lizard in for ever!”
“Hey! Who you callin ‘lizard?’ I am a mighty dragon! Get it right, already!” a tall purple dragon said as he strode through the halls, his crimson cape flowing behind him, attached to his shining steel armor. Embedded in it’s chest left plate were three teal gems, in the shape of his lover’s cutie mark. He stood as tall as Princess Twilight now, and had grown to be quite slender and muscular. Unfortunately, his claws were now too big and sharp to hold any form of paper, let alone a quill. Instead, they took up a sword and Spike had vowed to protect the ponies he loved with that blade. And he had done just that, fighting in each of Equestria’s world threatening battles.
“Spike, love, be nice to my darling sister. I don’t think she meant any real offense.” Speaking of ponies that Spike loved, his beloved wife, Rarity, now sashayed out from behind him. She was as well kempt as always, her mane and tail as glossy as if they were made of glass. On her horn she wore her wedding band, a simple gold ring with a small fire ruby as its centerpiece. Her outfit was just as simple, but stylish all the same; it was a white blouse, with draped sleeves and a low collar. In all honesty, it wasn’t difficult to see why the drake had fallen for her and vice versa. Even Twilight, who had thought of the dragon as a younger brother, could see the attraction.
“Don’t worry honey, I know she wasn’t serious,” he replied with a chuckle.
“Sis, is Apple Bloom with you?”
Suddenly, a cream colored mare galloped in, swerving around Rarity and Spike. “Of course I am! Like I’m gonna miss a Cutie Mark Crusaders reunion!" she exclaimed and slowed to a trot as she reached her friends.
"Apple bloom... what happened to your face?" Sweetie Belle asked, and pointed at the bandages adorning the mares left cheek.
"Spike sneezed on me."
Both of the other Crusaders scrunched up their muzzles. "Gross!"
“I said I was sorry…” Spike said as he eyed the young tailor with slight dejection. “But in my defense, it was you that brought dragon’s bane into the boutique.”
“And I apologized for that. But my apothecary studies with Zecora end before my studies with Rarity, so I had no choice.”
“Ah sure hope that ain’t complainin I’m hearin from my little sister! But then again, she ain’t so little Ah guess,” Applejack said as she trotted through the hallway. “Hell, she’s even taller than me now!”
“Oh, but of course she is! Apple Bloom is taller than the other crusaders too, I think,” Fluttershy said softly as she slunk in alongside her bright pink companion, who, in sharp contrast, bounced energetically over the yellow mare.
“She’s like a giant! Waaay taller than us old timers! You know I never really understood that. Why are they taller than us? It really doesn’t make sense. I mean, I don’t make a lot of sense a lot of times either, but that reeeally doesn’t make any se–”
“Pinkie, sweetheart, your rambling again.”
“Ooopsie! Sorry Shy.” Pinkie stopped bouncing and nuzzled her partner affectionately, but with some considerable restraint. The party pony truly did understood Fluttershy’s sensitive nature, something that most wouldn’t think possible. But she did, and the two were perfect for one another. “Thanks for catching me.”
“Your welcome. I know you’re trying to be better about it, so I want to help you.”
“OOOOH you are the sweetest mare a pony could ask for! I love you so much baby!” she said, giving Fluttershy a quick peck on the cheek, making her blush slightly.
“I love you too, Pinkie.” she replied, smiling wide and warm for her lover. There really isn’t much to say about Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy; the two had started spending more and more time with each other, and soon, they decided that they wanted to be more than just friends. After that, it was merely an eventuality before they married. They were happy with each other, and that’s all anypony could want for them.
“So, not to be cliché, but I suppose you’re all wondering why I’ve gathered you here today.” The phrase elicited a chuckle from several of the elements and the apprentices. “I’ve summoned you because the Alicorn Amulet has been stolen.”
“But Ah thought y'all had that thing locked up tighter than a bank vault!”
“I did AJ In fact, the only ponies with access to the chamber were myself, the guard, and Trixie, who alerted me a few minutes ago of the theft. We’re on our way now to investigate the crime scene using one of Sweetie Belle’s spells. I’m hoping we can catch them before the get too far.”
“Then we need to move out now, Princess,” Rainbow Dash said as she flared her wings out. “I’ll head back to the academy and get the Rainbolts on the job.”
“That would be excellent, but only after we’ve identified the intruder. And Dash, you don’t have to call me Princess,” Twilight said as she trotted off towards the amulet’s chamber.
“Actually ma’am, I do. We may be friends, but I’m a Wonderbolt, and that means I’m your subordinate. If I go around calling you by name, how would that reflect on you? Poorly, that’s how. It’s... a military thing.”
Twilight sighed to herself, wishing it weren’t so, “I get it. I suppose, I should call you ‘Captain’ then?”
“Yes, ma’am. I hadn‘t said anything yet because I didn‘t pay it any mind, but Captain Spitfire brought it to my attention a few weeks ago. I‘m sorry ma‘am.”
“It’s alright, ahem, Captain. I’ll overlook the, uh, transgression,” she said, smiling at the pegasus.
“You’re being sarcastic, aren’t you?”
“Extremely, Captain.”
“Very funny, ma’am.”
“That’s going to get old really quick.” She suddenly stopped before a tall bronze door, which was pushed slightly open, as if an earth pony had opened it. Gripping it with her magic, she moved it open even further so that everypony could fit through. “Okay, where was that blood at, Trixie?”
“Right here,” she answered, and pointed at a spot in front of the pedestal in the rooms center. It wasn’t just a few drops, but a rather large splatter, as if somepony had dumped it from a bucket.
“That’s… a lot of blood. No normal pony could lose that much and still be alive,” Rarity stated as she trotted up behind Trixie and Twilight. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Good, that means the amulet didn’t get real far.”
“Applejack! That‘s a horrid thing to say!”
“Ah’m just bein honest,” she replied with a shrug as she set to work untying the guards in the corner.
Suddenly Pinkie Pie’s anxious voice filled the room, as she tried to keep her wife away from the gore. “Uh, babe, maybe you should stay back? I mean, if it’s enough to make Rarity sick, I don–”
“Pinkie Pie, I know you’re trying to protect me, and that’s sweet of you, but I can handle a little blood. I've seen a cougar eat a fox before. This can’t be much…" Fluttershy trailed off as she brought her gaze to the large red splatter in the middle of the room. Her eyes slowly widened and her face twisted in horror at what she beheld. "Oh, Celestia… that’s horrible. I… I’m so sorry Pinkie! I should’ve listened to you!” Fluttershy wailed as she ran and buried her muzzle into Pinkie’s fluffy mane. “I should’ve–”
“Sssshhh… it’s okay Shy," Pinkie cooed, stroking the back of Fluttershy's neck. "My mane is a safe place.”
Twilight, however, had seen worse. She stood over the pool of blood and stared at it intently. It was fresh. Only the edges and patches towards the middle had started to dry up. It was also quite thin. It was like it had been flung off of something. It was splattered in an arcing pattern, but not a big arc. Like the pony that had flung it had done so straight at the ground. “Sweetie Belle, I need you to cast your spell here. I think this is where we’ll get the best view of our thief.”
“Yes, princess.” The pretty mare stepped forward, and began gathering magic around her horn. The spell was complicated, and required a lot of concentration. The room was silent for several minutes before she finished casting, and released the spell. It took the form of a broad ray of light, which would show everything that had happened wherever she pointed it within a specified time frame.
“Set it for the past four hours, and play it back at 30 times the normal speed.” As the playback commenced, it took only a few minutes for something to happen. And did it ever happen. “Sweetie, stop the playback!”
A creature appeared frozen in frame, save for the occasional static-like disruption. It stood on it’s hind legs, wearing a red jacket, with… it had…
Hands.
“BRING ME LYRA! NOW!”