Chapter Seven
It had been a couple of hours since the two young ponies left that cave in Zecora's company and the zebra had offered her place to reside in for the night, since Charm had fainted and had to be carried by Zecora and Rarity was exhausted from the whole ordeal. Time had slipped and as it would seem the two young ponies had spend the night in that cave last night.
Rarity looks at Charm who is riding on miss Zecora’s back, it would seem losing her robes was quite devastating due to the expression of horror the chestnut brown pegasus had before exhaustion and her not fully healed injuries finally caught with her. she wondered if those robes were a gift from her mother or something of great substance. Yet even if Charm Feather had not forgot them, they were ruined, and any restoration spell used in them would be worse than just making or buying new ones. Rarity knew that due to have wanted to be a dressmaker and being a unicorn; there were limits to magic, clothes altered or restored by magic lasted less, hence why even unicorn dressmakers still sew them.
Sighing Rarity looked away from her true friend and focused at her odd yet beautiful cutie mark wondering what it could mean. She knows it looked like the tome she had read but the symbol itself? She doesn’t know what exactly. ‘Maybe I should ask Charm?’ she thought, and then she looked back at Charm who still was asleep and decided to leave the question for later.
'Hi little one.' The voice of Guide said, almost startling Rarity, but she keep her calm like a true lady should.
'Hi Guide, are you in my head now?' Rarity asked while keeping her eyes on Zecora and Charm Feather, following the zebra to her place.
'Somewhat, I been thinking on a name for me, how does Guiding Star sound?' The ghost like unicorn voice said and Rarity could see a regular sized white unicorn with mist like mane and tail, and a golden falling star for a cutie mark. Rarity blinked and the vision faded away.
'It works.' Rarity said with less enthusiasm than expected.
"What's troubling you little one?'
'I wonder why Charm was so worried about her robes.'
"Oh, that's easy, it was like a hat was for wizards of old, made and enchanted by her own power.'
'Mmm, my true talent might be healing, but think Charm would like it if I helped to make her a new robe? After all, as my father says a one trick pony is a… uh… can't remember, but I still want to help her get a new robe.'
'Sorry about that, you lost some unimportant memories to give space to all the spells I had to use so you could learn restoration magic, it was mostly stuff you don't care about, like your father sayings.'
'Well, magic has a price, that's the first rule of magic, I am glad It was just that. But will this happen every time I learn a new spell?'
'No, what took most space in your head was the translation spell… and me.'
'So you really are in my head?'
'Yes. But do not worry, I won't peek at things you don't want me to, and I can stay with Charm if it really bugs you. Only that since Charm magic is slightly different, some ponies might see me when I am with her. When I am with you, not even princess Celestia herself would notice anything save maybe the use of passive magic, unless I manifest myself in the ghost form as you call it.'
'I will sleep now, but please remember to cheer Charm up when she wakes up, she has self esteem issues.'
The rest of the walk was a quiet affair, apparently Zecora knew the right paths to avoid most of the dangers of the Everfree forest. And in the one case one beast tried to attack them, a manticore, Zecora scared it away throwing a glass of potion that turned into an illusionary dragon of green smoke that made the big kitty run away in fear.
The group of three finally arrived to their destination after hours of walking, seeing a small little hut made out of a tree. Charm finally woke up, but she still looked tired. Rarity smiled to her to show the pegasus that everything was okay, that they weren't in danger.
The place looked like it was recently moved into as there weren’t any windows but a simple door and some alchemical ingredients in baskets sprawl around the small hobble.
“Well it definitely is more sheltered than our camp was.” Charm said on Zecora’s back
Rarity couldn’t help but nod as it were it provided more shelter than the sleeping cots they had been sleeping in for the past week.
"Welcome to my humble above, it may be small but is a labor of love."
"Do you always have to talk in rhyme?" Rarity asked as she sat inside. a simple large black pot on a fire place in the middle of the small room, shelves with some books and jars of unknown substance, and a room with what Charm could identify a sleeping hammock hanging in what she thinks is Zecora’s room in the back.
Zecora then shook her head to say no, then winked at the two children.
Rarity huffed in annoyance then mentally counted to ten and said "I am sorry for being rude, thank you for your help."
“Cozy place you got here.” Charm said rather glad to be inside a home after years of sleeping in a chamber rather than her own bed, must most likely it was the magic in the air and the fact of meeting the place of what it seemed like a fellow potion maker what atracted her.
Rarity on the other hoof was just glad that they could sleep in something other than the cold hard ground.
"I understand; please sit I shall prepare some tea and food even if it won't be anything grand.” Zecora said with a smile as she placed down Charm near the cauldron.
"Charm… our mutual friend told me why you missed your robes so much, do you want me to help you make new ones? I studied to be a dressmaker and even if it sounds prideful to say it, I am good at it."
"Huh? What mutual friend?" Charm asked confused while tilting her head.
"Oh you know, the one that sees you as a little sister, loves to talk to you and give you advice.'"
"Ah, THAT mutual friend." It made sense, Eve must have been the one who helped Rarity learn that healing spell.
"So, is that a yes or not?" Rarity asked impatient. Charm Feather, not wanting to make her new friend mad, hurried to answer.
"Yes, you can help me making it."
"By the way, what you did was quite impressive! You are amazing! I never seen a pegasus perform magic before! You should be proud that you are this good!"
"Really?" The chestnut brown pegasus asked, a tad confused by the sudden change of topic. "But I…"
"But I nothing, you are awesome because I say it!"
"Okay." Charm Feather was not about to argue like a little girl, even if she technically only was maybe a year or two older than Rarity now, and a girl. " Thank you very much for your praise. Is a pegasus using magic really THAT weird?" that was troublesome news, the less she wanted in this strange new world she knew so little about was to caught peo… other ponies attention.
"Your friend is right that is something rare, if she refers to spells being cast, but how do you think a pegasus can move so fast? Magic is how they control the weather and dance in the air."
"I see, I guess I was very lucky to have found a school that could teach me." As a human, Charm had not been very good at magic, as a pegasus, she was better. there were still things to work on, like the fact she would have to hide being able to cast spells, but she could still improve.
"By the way, were is that school you talked about? The magic our friend taught me is quite strange."
"Oh, that school is very far away, I got there by… a portal accident. I honestly don't want to think about it right now, things there were quite different."
"Oh, that's why you didn't know how to fly?" Rarity asked.
"Yes. In fact the reason I ended in the Everfree was after failed attempt to get back home. As there wasn't much else I feel I could earn, and I missed my family, but… now I won't see them again." Charm Father started to cry and Rarity hugged her.
"Why do you say that?"
"I… I changed so much… because of magic… that I can't go home anymore." Charm Feather was ashamed of unwinding like this, stupid female pony hormones.
"I understand." Rarity said. What Rarity 'understood' was that they had rejected Charm because she was a pegasus that could cast spells. How could anypony be so cruel?
"You do?" The chestnut brown mare asked surprised, she had not explained anything yet!
"Is because you can do magic, isn't it?"
"Yes…" It was because she had magic that her own universe had rejected her, and that's why the Elder Scrolls had sent her to the nearest universe where magic existed, and for some reason that ended being Equestria.
"How could they? HOW COULD YOUR OWN FAMILY REJECT YOU?"
"Uh, Rarity…"
"No, I will not shut up about this, is outrageous, so you are a pegasus that can cast spells? That's no reason to kick you out!"
"Rarity, is not so bad, I mean uh… I found you, didn't I?" Charm Feather didn't know what to say, she was not a people err ponies person, not a Charmer (Ha!) and if Rarity wanted to believe her parents had kicked her out for doing magic… well it was less complicated that the truth. Plus if what she had learned back at Earth and Skyrim had taught her something, was that going around saying that you were from another world or an alien that magically changed into a pony was NOT a good idea.
Sure, she would eventually tell Rarity the truth, but not before she knew if saying it would get her arrested, killed or experimented on. She might be a little pony now, but she wasn't a moron.
"Don't worry about anything Charm Feather. Once I get back home and tell my parents about what you did to save me, I am sure they will let you stay for a while at least."
No, this was… wrong, maybe she could tell Rarity something closer to the truth? Just hiding the whole human thing?
Zecora returns after all the drama interrupting Charm Feather thoughts, with a clay tea kettle and leafs, she places them near the fire pit, she then shooed Charm away from the caldron as she moves it out of the way, with some flint she starts the fire, she moves around the fire pit preparing everything. She stands on her hind legs to be able to get to the items on the top shelf adding the items into the boiling water. The way she moved around was as if she was dancing, this had the effect of catching Charms attention as she faintly remembered something about a movie she saw ages ago,, while for Rarity it looked like an exotic dance.
"I got a few snacks, Why don't you eat them and relax?" The zebra have them the snaps, they were… flowers. Not weird looking flowers that were poisonous or something, but kind of normal flowers one would see in someo… somepony garden.
Still, Charm feather was hungry, she hesitantly ate one flower, it tasted good, even if it still tasted like a flower. The pegasus wondered what else she would find taste now that she was a talking equine. She had already mourned the loss of meat during her first few days as a pony girl, but by Rarity complains, she at least knew ponies could eat ice-cream and chocolate, so it wasn't that bad.
Within a few moments the tea kettle started whistling signaling that the water was boiled enough to be taken out the fire, she then takes out a couple cups placing them in front of the two fillies to which she then pours the boiling water then dropping ground up leafs into the mix.
Blowing on her cup Charm takes a tentative sip of the tea, and with a smile she nods her approval. “This is good ma’am.” Charm said surprising Rarity as she didn’t knew Charm could be so polite as it were Rarity is used to how brash the pegasus could be when it is just them.
Rarity was hesitant with drinking her tea, as she didn’t know Miss Zecora to well, but after seeing her friend approve the tea she went right in and took a sip of her tea, which was surprisingly good.
This went on for a few minutes as Zecora takes a sip of her own tea waiting for everypony to become comfortable and they finished eating most of the flower snacks.
“Might I ask at least, as to why you were chased by such a beast?” Zecora asked out of the blue but not so much as to startle the two fillies in anyway.
Rarity figured she would answer as Charm looked like she would rather be sleeping after drinking her warm tea.
“Well, Miss Zecora we had been lost in this forest for nearly a week,” this had the added effect of causing Zecora’s eyes to bug out in surprise at this revelation. “And Charming here hadn’t learns to fly yet, so she took the time in our survival to learn to fly, just a few days ago now she had just learned how to fly. We learned which way to go after she flew above the trees, so with some preparation we left our camp and were heading home. But then we ran into the monster from earlier.” Rarity summed up most of the journey rather nicely; she looked at Charm for confirmation only to see her friend had fallen asleep were she sits, her tea was still warm as steam slowly seeps out of it.
Chuckling nervously as she had just found herself on her own with the stranger, she looked at Zecora who was smiling warmly at Charm.
Zecora walks over to her saddlebags as well as Charms, she then pulls out a blanket from Charms bags then walking over to Charm with the blanket in her mouth she places it over Charm who snuggled into it with a smile.
Zecora looked at Rarity while still smiling; the display of care shown to her friend was enough to ease her worries about Zecora enough that she relaxed.
“Well you two certainly had an adventure, and it is surprising that you two had lasted so long out in this forest, for it most certainly is dangerous,” Zecora said looking at Rarity sternly causing her to squirm under her stare. “But what I want to know is why you two had wandered into this dangerous forest in the first place.” Zecora said awaiting an answer.
Rarity sighed and looks at Charm in hopes she is awake and could take over from here, but she was fast asleep.
“Well I can’t speak for Charm as I had met her in the forest, but I was heading home, which is Ponyville,” Zecora looked at Rarity for a bit sternly, and then her expression softens.
“I know of the town you speak of, I was going to go there tomorrow in hopes to buy some fruits at the market place.” Zecora said smiling. “Tomorrow I will take you to the town you shall be home soon; your parents would be delighted I am sure.” Zecora said smiling, “now you should sleep you need it for tomorrow, although the journey is short it is still a long walk to town.” Rarity nodded agreeing to the wisdom.
With her own blanket near she levitates it over herself and Rarity was asleep within moments.
Zecora watches over the two fillies with a warm smile, ‘so young, yet so strong, two little fillies able to survive in this forest, reminds me of home.’ she thought preparing for her time to sleep.
oOo Rarity’s mindscape oOo
Rarity was dreaming of the sky on what flying would be like, she wasn’t alone as Charm flew beside her with a large smile as the two played in the clouds.
Landing on a cloud tired from all the flying Rarity lays down on her back with her legs holding in the air, she started thinking on how soft the clouds were, she sighs as she sees Charm still flying overhead.
Best dream ever.
“Hello Rarity.” Guiding Star said startling Rarity enough that when she was trying to get up she ended up falling over herself trying to turn to the voice too quickly, Rarity found herself completely covered head to tail in clouds. All in all it was a rather adorable sight to see and ghost like unicorn expresses her amusement by giggling at Rarity who flushed in embarrassment.
Rarity then noticed that Charm's sister looked smaller than when she first saw her, now looking just like a regular sized adult mare unicorn in size. She also had the cutie mark it had show her before.
"Why do you look smaller?"
"Well, why not? I don't want to look like an intimidating tall and wise pony to you, so just looking closer to what you expect an adult to look like works better."
"I understand, is to make me more comfortable. Then why your mane and tail still look like mist?"
"I want to make you feel comfortable, not make you forget what I am."
"Wow Rarity, you certainly have great tastes in dreams.” A new voice announced, causing Rarity to turn around quickly to see the real Charm walking up to her, with her battered old ragged robes, are now shining in their true glory as they are no longer torn and battered or old and ragged, and Rarity gets to see what the fuss was all about.
Charm Feather then looked at the strangely familiar unicorn with mist like mane and Tail "Uh, do I know you?"
"Of course you do silly, I am the mutual friend Rarity told you about, my pony name is Guiding Star."
Charm mouth opened then closed again, then stared at the admittedly quite pretty ghost like pony.
"I see."
Rarity meanwhile was using her seamstress skills to analyze Charm Feather robes. She could tell the robes were meant to keep the wearer warm in extreme cold weather as fur trimmings could be seen, she sees three sets of clothing the inner layer being a simple light brown shirt, the second being a light coat that covers the shirt, the outer layer was an orange robe that wraps around the whole thing, and completing the whole things is a hood with fur trims that wasn’t there last time Rarity had seen her wear them, ‘must had took them out as it is really warm in the Everfree,’ Rarity thought mentally. Then there are some kind of gloves for the fore hooves like shoes, and wrapped up to the knee was some kind of bandage, what really catches her attention was the integrating designs in on the orange robes hood giving it some flare to the outfit, but all in all it was a rather simple set of robes. Of course then Rarity realized that she just did, even if she had not used magic to analyze the robes.
'It must be because this is a dream.'
"Well, now I know how it supposed to look like, but dear, gloves will not just do unless it's winter, also we have to find nicer color for you. Orange looks awful!" Without waiting for permission Rarity horn glows and she starts to make changes to the pegasus robes. First of all the gloves are gone, so are the winter fur trimmings, and are the extra clothes, since they are not living at the top of a mountain or are in the middle of a snowstorm. That school Charm went to must have been at the top of a very tall mountain to have so many warm clothes, since pegasi are naturally resistant to cold weather. No wonder she did not learn to fly there, how could she with so many restricting clothes over her? Then the shoes are gone too and the robes start to switch colors until they change into a soft purple.
"What do you say darling, purple works for you? For me it would clash with my mane but with your dark chestnut mane and tail, it might work."
“ack what the heck?!” Charm said completely caught off guard at the sudden magic.
"Uh, what's wrong? Surely you can't expect to wear so many layers of clothing in spring, do you? Also summer is coming. That gloves and boots combo would work for an Earth pony, but not for a pegasus."
“Ah yeah, um... these boots and gloves help me stay rooted to the ground better for strikes and magic”
"Dear, you are a pegasus, unless your boots and gloves were made of metal, it would not really make enough of a different to justify dulling your tactile telekinesis magic. Also, pegasi don't stay grounded, they stay ready to fly at any moment."
“Argh” Charm said frustratingly stomping the cloud under her, “thats not the point I can't fly straight if I'm casting magic at the same time!”
"Not yet, but surely you can use spells on your wings while you fly." Guiding Star said. "I saw some of Rarity memories about a show of a group of pegasus called the Wonderbolts Rarity saw last year, and it was quite informative."
Shakes head in the negative “Its not about armor, they also hold enchantments in them to aid in such things.”
"Enchantments you don't need, specially with lighting and ice magic, your natural pegasus magic helps you with those two kinds of magic. Fire might be harder, but you need to stop using crutches. " Guiding Star walked in the air and saw Charm Feather right into the eyes. "You don't really understand, do you? Gloves and boots, unless made of enchanted metal, will dull part of your pegasus magic, you could wear some bracelets around your hooves for the same effect and without affecting your tactile telekinesis."
Pulls hooves close to herself “b-but, its dirty the ground.” she said in a last effort to save her booties.
"So? Direct contact with the ground helps to use some kind of spells, while you might not have Earth pony magic, you can still use earth based spells, not to mention things like aspell to make vines grow from the ground and trap your enemy." Guiding Star argued back
“c-can I at least keep my back boots then? I like how they look” Charm said pouting.
"They are winter boots, if you want I could make you a pair more in tune with this season." Rarity offered
“Ffffiiine” she sighs out
"Oh, the bracelets idea sounds good. Do any of you two know how to make magic bracelets?" Rarity asked
"Crafting magical jewelry and accessories is both alchemy and metallurgy, we can have the bracelets made of gold or silver by a blacksmith, then inscribe runes on them and bathe them into the appropriate potions." The ghost like unicorn said
“So... I kinda got distracted but why are you two here?” Rarity asked. "I mean We got to agree about what Charm new clothes would be like but we could have done that while I was awake."
“Oh right, right well um how to put this, umm… well, when you and Charm Feather are asleep at the same time, I can make you two have a shared dream." Guarding Star said now slightly embarrassed over the whole situation.
"You what?" Rarity said not understanding why she had done that.
"Well, I needed a way to talk to you two in private. I also wanted to show you some of Charm Feather past memories and show him some of your memories."
"But why do you want to do something like that?" Rarity asked
"To teach you magic, and to teach Charm Feather about Ponyville, she has been living for too long in a very different place, she kinda doesn't know how to be a pony."
"Oh you poor thing, I didn't know!" Rarity said and hugged the pegasus
"Also, this is basically a dream, all you will get from this is information, you will still need to train magic with your real bodies."
Oh, so what we do first then?" Charm Feather asked, all those hugs were nice but awkward, she was not used to it.
"We will watch Rarity memories about the Wonderbolts so miss wings here can see what's she is missing." Suddenly the three of them were in a movie theater.
"Oh, can we get popcorn for this?'" Charm Feather has not gotten popcorn in ages.
"Sorry, no taste sense in a dream."
“Wait, so we will all be sharing dreams together now?” Rarity asked not completely understanding, but enough to know that Charm could be sharing dreams with her, and that they could see each other memories if certain specter unicorn wanted them to.
"Not every night, or it would cut out your resting time, lets just this is more tiring than real dreams." Guiding Star then sat down and the movie started, the others sat down too.
The chestnut mare ended hugging Rarity during the movie, without noticing, Rarity was too focused on the movie to mind it too much.
The ghost looked on towards the two with a look that said she is having a hard time resisting the adorable sight. ‘Damn, Zach’s err Charm Feather love of cute things has rubbed off on me.’ Still by her connection with both ponies, she knew none of them had romantic feelings to each other. 'A pity, but is better this way, if they had a lover's quarrel I would not want to be in the middle.' They were two fillies hugging each other, and it was really adorable.
After the movie was over, Rarity asked about her cutie mark, the bird represented a phoenix, and the gem represented magic, it was the symbol of the school of magic of Restoration, aka healing. If anypony asked, she would say the Gem was her talent of magic that included gems and the phoenix her healing powers, it made things less complicated that way.
End of Chapter...
A little unicorn has a spectre in her head, but crazy she is not.
A chestnut pegasus finds a true friend who cares about her a lot.
Do you wanna know what happens next?
Then of the next chapter, read the text!