Among the international populations, there existed a stereotype about Equestrians. They say that whenever something interesting occurs around an Equestrian, something else interesting is sure to follow. Whether or not it is a fortuitous event is irrelevant. Interestingly enough, the Sambar Deer to the east had turned this into a curse: "May you live like an Equestrian."
Equestrians, when told of this stereotype, would nod and say, "Yes, that's us." They knew that their image was justified, and knew that a peaceful life for them would be anything but for another species.
On one particular day, most ponies outside of the city of Cloudsdale looked up into the sky, saw the mesmerizing sight of a circular rainbow spreading as far across the sky as the eye could see, and promptly went inside to prepare for whatever else was coming their way.
Most, except for Sparkle, who was lounging under a tree in the park, listening to the foals play and the birds chirp, and reading a dissertation on the effect of using a virgin or non-virgin sacrifice in a blood ritual. Just a bit of light reading to pass the time. So when the rainboom detonated overhead, she glanced up, shook off the feeling of déjà vu, and went back to her tome.
If somepony had been paying attention, they would have noticed that about eleven minutes after the explosion, a vividly blue earth pony purposefully trotted up to where Sparkle was relaxing. "Excuse me," he said, pulling her attention away from the book, "could I ask you something?"
"Oh, sure. I don't know how much help I can be, but I can try." Sparkle answered. She bookmarked her page and closed the tome. "What do you need?"
"I was wondering if an earth pony like me could use magic," he said.
Sparkle asked, "Have you been listening to unicorn supremacists? They say earth ponies have no magic; they're lying. Earth pony magic reinforces the body, meaning-"
"No," he said, cutting Sparkle off. "I mean, can earth ponies cast spells, like a unicorn? Like levitation and energy beams?"
She was silent for a moment. "Technically, yes. Don't get your hopes up; most ponies can barely even use the full potential of their own tribe's magic, let alone another tribe's."
"Could you teach me unicorn magic? Please?" he asked excitedly, stepping closer to Sparkle.
"Hang on. I don't even know you. What makes you think that I could teach you anything? Sparkle countered.
"Whoops, sorry. I'm Cobalt, and... you are Sparkle." His hoof pointed right at her chest. "You're one of the most powerful unicorns in the country! I'm a big fan."
"Ooookaaayy..." Sparkle said, drawing out the sound. "While it's great - if a bit creepy - that I have ponies getting excited about what I do, again, what makes you think I should teach you anything?"
The stallion bowed down and pressed his forehooves together. "Please, please, I'll do anything! I'll pay you. I'll work for you for free. I beg of you, I need this."
"No." She looked down to her book, opened it back to the page she was on, and attempted to read.
"Please, Ms. Sparkle. Please take me on as your student. I... I... I'll even sell you my soul, if that's what it takes. I swear, I feel like a unicorn trapped in an earth pony's body, and I can't take it any more. Please!" Tears streamed down the groveling pony's cheeks. His face was completely pressed against the soft dirt and grass.
Forget his soul and Maker damn the consequences, Sparkle wanted to teach. "Cobalt, get up. You have my attention, now let me get a good look at you."
Standing, Cobalt wiped the grime and tears from his face. Sparkle stood at the same time and tapped her horn to his forehead, where his horn would be if he were a unicorn. Magic poured into his being, giving him the sensation of tar being pumped into his veins. He felt light-headed and nauseous. The sensation grew and grew, until at last, when he thought he could take no more, it vanished as suddenly as it had come.
Sparkle pulled her horn away. "Cobalt, close your eyes and repeat back what you hear. It won't sound like Equuish words, so just imitate as best you can. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am." Sparkle then spoke to him, her voice touching his ears the moment his eyes shut. He was perplexed, as some of the rather melodious sounds didn't actually sound like they were coming from her mouth; the rhythm was too fast and too complex to logically be coming out of a pony's mouth. He cracked open an eye, and saw that her lips were moving almost half as much as they should have been. When she stopped speaking, he fully opened his eyes. "I have no idea how to even start to say that," he admitted. "It was... rather indescribable."
"Good," Sparkle said, nodding. "That was modern Unicornian. The fact that you could even hear part of it means you have some sensitivity to the ambient magical fields. Have you had any training before?"
He shook his head; he hadn't.
"Have you read any of the theory behind unicorn speech?"
"Yes, but I've never been done anything with it."
"What am I wearing?"
The question caught Cobalt off guard. He floundered for a second, wondering if it were a trick question, as she was obviously wearing a gray cloak. The earth pony answered as such.
"Correct. If you'd answered 'an orange sundress' like I'd expected you to, I would have said no. That you can see through my admittedly weak illusions says a lot about you. I think you have what it takes to be able to do this in the first place," she said. "Now, do you have what it takes in here," she tapped his head, "and here?" She tapped his chest above his heart. "That, we'll find out. If you're going to be my student, I'm going to have to place a geas on you, to insist you keep my secrets."
"A geas?" Cobalt asked.
"A geas is an unbreakable command tied to the recipient's magic. A weak geas will inflict a harsh punishment for violating the conditions; a strong one cannot be broken in the first place. Mine are extremely powerful. If you don't want to take it, you won't be my student," Sparkle stated. "If you are here by this tree at noon tomorrow, I'll assume you want to. If you aren't, you wont."
"I understand, and I am willing to take it now," Cobalt replied, bowing his head.
"Come back tomorrow, then. A geas is a big deal, as in, something that will stay with you into the afterlife unless the correct conditions are met," said Sparkle.
"I understand," Cobalt said again.
"I hope you do." Sparkle looked at him intently. "Lessons start straight away if you agree; come prepared."
The sun set, and the sun rose again. As it approached its zenith, two ponies approached the small tree by the bridge, the spot they had agreed upon the day prior. Both were early in an attempt to be punctual, and ended up arriving at exactly the same time.
"You decided to try after all?" Sparkle asked upon entering hearing range of Cobalt.
"I told you yesterday," he said as he trotted up to her, "I am ready and willing to do anything."
"Good. Take a look at this," she said, offering a scroll she had withdrawn from her bag.
Cobalt took it and read.
By Sparkle's power, the earth pony known as "Cobalt" shall be placed under a rank 10 geas with the following terms and conditions:
1.
Cobalt shall study and master all lessons offered by Sparkle to the best of his ability.2.
Cobalt shall adhere to the schedule set forth by Sparkle to the best of his ability.3.
Cobalt shall pay Sparkle the agreed upon rate, to be determined at a later time. This rate is always re-negotiable.4.
Cobalt shall always obey any and every command Sparkle gives him, immediately and without question, so long as they are prefaced by the phrase: "Cobalt, would you kindly..."5.
Any commands given with the phrasing stated in item four (4) are to override any conflicting orders given prior to that time.6.
The above conditions are only valid so long as Sparkle considers Cobalt her student, or Cobalt considers her to presently be his teacher.7.
Cobalt shall not be allowed to quit from Sparkle's tutelage unless there is no other option.8.
Any knowledge deemed "secret" by Sparkle is to be kept secret for all time, regardless of current status of Sparkle or Cobalt, unless given explicit permission by Sparkle to reveal the information to a designated individual.9.
Cobalt will not allow himself to be put under the influence of any other geas by any entity that is not Sparkle for as long as he is alive.10.
Attempting to willingly violate these conditions will be punished with pain until the attempt stops. Successfully willingly violating these terms will be punished by instant death and the forfeit of Cobalt's soul to Sparkle. Accidental violations will be excused provided an attempt is made by Cobalt to explain the situation to Sparkle.
"This is straightforward enough," Cobalt decided. "I accept."
He looked up to see a spell charging on Sparkle's horn, which completed and fired forwards before he could say another word. It struck him, and if the first time dark magic had touched him felt like tar in his blood, this felt like molten lead. Cobalt wanted to scream, but his body would not obey. Worse and worse the pain grew, until it suddenly felt like a white-hot bar had been impaled through his chest.
Suddenly, the feeling was gone. He blinked in confusion, wondering why he was on the ground and covered in sweat. "Excuse me," he said. "I think I might have blacked out there for a second. Did I tell you that I accept?"
"You did," Sparkle replied.
"Are you going to do it?"
"I already did, my faithful student," Sparkle said, intentionally mirroring the words of Twilight's mentor. "I took the memory of it so that you would not be burdened by the pain you went through."
Cobalt accepted that easily enough. The only part of him that complained (quite audibly) was his stomach, and that was only because it was lunch time and he hadn't eaten. "Hey, do you think we could have the first lesson over lunch? I haven't had anything, and I know this great little mom-and-pop-shop that has an amazing roast carrot sandwich."
Sparkle smirked. "Trying to bribe your teacher already, Cobalt?"
"Well, I, uh..." Cobalt stammered.
"I'd like that," the unicorn mare said. "I also take bribes in candy, flowers, hugs, and cold, hard bits."
"...You see, the soul has two parts: the shell and the identity. The identity is the part that is you. You are that piece, and wherever it goes, you are there. For ponies, the soul resides in the brain-stem.
"The shell of the soul is like your body. It is your magic, and it works for your soul just like a limb does for your body.
"In earth ponies, your magic flows with your blood through your body. It is fluid and ever-moving. For pegasi, their magic pulses in time to their favored wing-beat rhythm. And for unicorns, it bunches up around the soul and forms a magical 'core,' which possesses a unique 'spin.'
"This spin determines a number of factors, but always correlates to the ease of using magic externally. The greater the magnitude of spin, the higher the control and output power of the spell, which means it functions something like a multiplier for your mana reserve. The direction of the spin also has very important properties. Up-spin is masculine, down-spin is feminine; those are the main spins, and what most magic will accommodate. There are left-spin and right-spin, which I know little about, and then there is in-spin and out-spin. I have the former, and my sister has the latter."
"I didn't know you had a sister," Cobalt commented.
"I do," Sparkle replied. "That's a story for another time, though. As you probably can guess, in-spin is dark magic. I will be teaching you the basics if and only if you accept another geas to use them in the defense of a life, and to stop if you feel your mind deteriorating,"
"I understand," Cobalt said.
"For now, we need to get you trained in the art of forming a core. I am versed in the reverse, distributing magic across the body, and the principle is the inverse as well. Once you have the technique down and can push a controlled release of magic outside your body, I will show you how to build a focus, an artificial horn, if you will. Then, and only then, will I teach you how to use magic. During that whole process, I will be teaching you how not to use magic; I expect you to listen carefully," Sparkle concluded.
"Got it," Cobalt said. "I can't wait!"
Sparkle nodded, then finally took a bite of the sandwich that the waiter had brought her several minutes before. "Oh. You were right; this is really good."