It was not easy for Gearhead to decide to show Dusk and Dawn his power, but they would not understand unless he showed them. If they did not understand, they would probably miss important material, and that would not help any of them.
In order to avoid damaging anything, Gearhead asked Dusk to take them to a large, open, and unused field. The one they found outside of Hoofington was above a ravine so it was raised, but they could not help it if signs of their activity ended up being seen.
As the siblings watched, Gearhead carefully unstrapped the shoe from his left forehoof. He used his mouth to work it free, and then, still holding his hoof in the air, ensured he had the shoe firmly in his mouth before letting his senses ‘go limp’ and touching his exposed hoof to the ground.
Dark blue lightning shot out along the ground, in every direction, and then the earth began to roll and boil. It became like waves, and then like sand. “Whoa!” Dusk grabbed hold of Dawn as the ground threw them around. Just as they were about to be folded under, Gearhead picked up his hoof and jammed it back into the shoe. The rolling stopped, and the ground began to give way to gravity and its natural state.
“Run,” Gearhead said, and together they dashed free of the crumbling dirt, grass, and stone.
“That was... something,” Dusk panted.
“That was amazing!”
“That,” Gearhead said, “is what I need to learn to control.”
There was another aspect to Gearhead’s power, and to demonstrate that he needed somepony to bring him something that was broken. Dawn volunteered, seeming to vanish as soon as they got back to the Estates. Dusk led Gearhead back to the library, where they pored over more books while they waited.
Dawn came bouncing happily back, carrying something in her mouth. When she put it on the table, Gearhead saw that it was a music box. “Oh,” Dusk said, “that hasn’t worked in years.”
“It’s my favourite,” Dawn said, and she did not need to say anything more.
Gearhead sat with his back firmly against the seat-rest so he could use both forehooves. He focused all his attention on the organelle even before he touched it, and ‘sent’ his senses into the item.
He saw each piece as they came together, connecting, working. He saw the pieces that were broken, loose within the toy, but too small to find and take out or repair using normal methods. Some of the smaller pieces were even too small for a Unicorn to find if they did not know what to look for.
Because Gearhead got a sense for where every piece was supposed to be, he knew what he was looking for. He focused past Dawn’s gasps of amazement to draw everything together. Then he thought about what could be changed to try to ensure the organelle did not break again, without compromising its tone: each material had originally been chosen for the sound it would make as it was struck and resonated, so reinforcing the pieces for strength might make it soundless, effectively breaking the music box even worse than before. But there were materials that were more resonant for the song in the box, but harder to work with, again, using more normal methods.
Gearhead pulled his hooves away, and thrust them into his shoes before he could fall forward and strike his pillows. He released a breath he had not realized he had been holding – and the others did the same. As Gearhead tightened his shoestraps, Dusk used his magic to wind the organelle.
When Dusk let go, Dawn clapped gleefully. She jumped and hugged Gearhead, more tightly this time. “Best. Day. Ever!” She said over the delicate, clear notes.
"That's very impressive, but tell me something."
"What is that, Dusk?"
"How come you have enough control to fix a music box, but not enough to direct your power over land?"
"I do not know."
"Well, what do you think about when you use your power over land, or on objects?"
Gearhead pondered. "When I fix things it is like I project my mind's eye into the object. I can see how they work, what does not, and how to fix it."
"And land?"
Gearhead shrugged. "I have never tried to focus on it, but nothing, I guess."
"And if it's not 'nothing,' but the same sort of process, scaled-up?"
"Oh, you could try slowing it down!" Dawn piped up.
"I suppose I could try," Gearhead shifted in his seat at the prospect.
"Don't worry: we'll be right with you," Dusk said, putting a hoof on Gearhead's shoulder.
"You have my thanks, truly."