Chapter Thirteen
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I gave Fluttershy a big hug as she tearfully says goodbye to me.
“You’ll visit Ponyville every so often?” she asked nearly sobbing.
Smiling I pull away from the hug, “Of course I will, I do need to go to the Everfree to collect ingredients. Maybe you could join me.” I said. "In fact I will be more in Ponyville than Canterlot, is not like I can really let everypony know I am a spellcasting pegasus, right?"
She wiped the tears in her eyes while smiling at me, “I would like that.” she said. "Maybe… you could stay with me when you are in Ponyville… if you want to. I mean… I don't have many friends and…"
"I will visit you Fluttershy, I promise it." With one final hug I watched her board the train heading for Ponyville. I stare at the train waving goodbye to Fluttershy who I could see in the trains windows with her parents, who had came to Canterlot from Cloudsdale to escort her back home.
It was a tear-filled departure since I would not be returning Ponyville with Fluttershy, for Celestia had convinced me to stay. Well… to stay for a while, there was no way I could actually live for long in a stuffy city full of unicorns were I would have to hide my use of magic.
It’s the day after our audience with Princess Celestia and the both of us had been cleared from the hospital. I still have to take it easy since my feathers need to re-grow.
So in my haste to leave I had forgotten I really do not have a home here in Equestria, and I am not the sort to take charity willingly. I had a plan, said plan being to become Zecora apprentice and maybe find a place in the Everfree to live, it was not a perfect plan, but I did need to go to the Everfree for ingredients and to practice my magic by casting spells against monsters.
And then Celestia had given me an offer. She had offered to give Rarity and I a home, it’s a small two story house, two bedrooms, a bathroom at the top floor and a lobby with a kitchen and counter in the bottom floor.
I had to provide my Alchemy skills and sell them there in exchange. I had wanted to set a shop to sell potions anyway and Ponyville was too small for that, not to mention I would be competing with Zecora if I set shop there there, so I accepted.
Granted I was too prideful to take Celestia money, but Rarity was not, and Rarity unlike me, needed the money as she was actually staying in Canterlot. So basically the house and Rarity expenses were paid until the unicorn graduated, while we would set the Alchemy shop down on the first floor.
Of course the shop would not be ready for a while, I need to prepare for that, needed to get ingredients and the ingredients I would need to replace them with Equestrian equivalents.
I still had money left from when I changed my "rare coins" and gems, and I got more as I changed the rest in Canterlot, and I wanted to expend some of it. 'Damn, I am becoming such a mare.' I had practically drooled all over in the stores here.
I saw several good articles of clothing, and I could really use a new robe, I don’t really like the idea of being naked all the time. But Rarity was making my new robe, so I was just getting the fabric from a place Celestria recomended me. The magic bracelets and the boots could wait, much to my annoyance, since I had no clue if our potions shop would work or not so it was unwise to just waste all my money. Heck, both Rarity and Guiding Star had made me left
half of it hidden in our new house just in case.
'Somepony has to show these other ponies how to dress, I mean come on you should see some of these snobs with their over the top garish outfits. I mean I saw one wearing diamonds for crying out loud! And… pony feathers, I just thought like Rarity.'
Talk about the fashion demon and she will appear, I noticed Rarity walking up towards me after the train was out of sight, she smiled and wordlessly gestured towards the castle.
We headed for the castle ready to meet with some office official about the details of our home.
We would also be visiting Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns for her magic test, ‘arg tests.’ I thought thinking it would be a long written test like the one I had done in Skyrim, as well as a demonstration.
'Nope, is more like a dog and pony show, only you replace the dog with magic.' Guiding Star said, I didn't knew if she was joking or not.
Today would be boring. I could already feel how long it is going to be already.
'Well, if you are so bored, then remember to take flying lessons as soon as you get back to Ponyville, you gotta build those pegasus muscles and practice pegasus magic.' Guiding Star helpfully reminded me.
******
Celestia is happy, she had managed to convince Charm Feather to stay in Canterlot, and she had even given her a home and store to sell her wares at, the idea of foreign potions is rather exciting.
‘When Charm opens that shop I must get some of those potions for myself.’ She thought rather giddy at her success. granted the mare would probably still stay more in Ponyville than Canterlot, since the place was not exactly a city pegasi liked, and there was the fact Charm Feather did not like to get unwanted attention, heroic exploits aside.
She looked at the clock now noticing the time, ‘I wonder where my student is, she is late.’ She thought in surprise, ‘wonder what happe-...’
Her thoughts were interrupted when a small purple unicorn filly comes running into her personal quarters looking rather upset but glad.
“Princess, gasp, Princess I am so sorry I’m late for our lesson.” She said rather out of breath managing to catch her breath she scowled angrily.
Noticing how her students attitude is rather hostile but wasn’t directed to her, she started using gentle gestures to calm her down, “it is alright my little pony, please tell me what happened.” Celestia said in a soothing tone.
Taking a breath Twilight went into detail on what happened moments ago.
~ Earlier, Twilight’s perspective. ~
I was running late, and I hate being late, so I had stuffed my saddlebags with the books that was given to me by Celestia and placed spike on my back so I rushed out my room, in hopes I could make it to Celestia before I am... tardy... ‘I will not be Tardy!’ I thought heatedly.
In my haste I bumped into a white unicorn filly with a short purple mane, and a chestnut brown filly pegasus with a brown mane, who was missing feathers so it could not probably fly well.
“Oof.” I said falling onto my flank as the unicorn does the same as the pegasus looked rather startled from the action.
“Oh hay, Rarity are you ok?” the chestnut brown pegasus said, but from there I did not know what was said I had already noticed that I was running late so I made a dash for it not bothering to see if this Rarity was ok.
~ back to Celestia. ~
Celestia frowned disappointingly at Twilight at her attitude towards her soon to be fellow peer.
“Now, now Twilight you shouldn’t go and be rude like that, it is alright if you’re a little late, but please remember to be polite, you don't see me being rude to other ponies, do you?" Celestia said soothingly but was still disappointed at her student’s lack of social tack.
“B-but princess I’m never tardy, I-I need to do my best so that I can impress you.” said a sad Twilight with her ears splayed back behind her head. "But you are right, I should have at least apologised, I am sorry, I promise I will try harder to be nice."
Getting up from her seat Celestia walks over to twilight and nuzzles her student affectionately.
“It is alright my student. One can’t be the best at everything, but that's not excuse to be rude to everypony.” This had proven to be the wrong thing to say as twilight pulled back from Celestia.
“B-but I must be the best at magic Princess!” she protested loudly.
She smiled at her student figuring to drop this issue and move on to studying, “hah, heh well you can try, anyways let us return to the theoretical enchanting of gemstones shall we?” with the subject change Twilight was eager already pulling out her books from her saddlebags.
~ back to our heroines. ~
“Well that was rude.” Charm said rather miffed at the nerve of some ponies.
Rarity was dusting herself off not at all fazed at the rude behavior of the purple unicorn.
“It is quite alright Charming. She seemed to be in a hurry, besides we are no different.” Rarity said now standing and collecting the spilled items from her saddlebags that are on the ground.
Helping Rarity pick up some of the items and allowing her to levitating them into the saddlebags to be stored safely Charm noticed something odd.
Waking up at a lump of oddly shaped purple stone she poked it with her hoof to hear it giggled.
Acting like a startled cat her fur on her back stood on end, and she jumped away from the thing, evidently she ended up behind Rarity who looked rather amused at the supposed, ‘mighty warrior.’
Rolling her eyes she used her magic she pushed Charm to the lumpy thing, after glaring at Rarity who smiled innocently, Charm takes careful steps and pokes the lump again.
It moved and unraveled itself revealing a little baby drake.
“Awe it’s adorable.” Charm said cooing at the little drake that laughed and giggled at the pegasus who was moments ago was terrified of it.
Laughing at the oddity that is Charm, she walked up next to her, “alright you had your fun we should put the baby dragon in that room, since he belongs to the unicorn.”
“Awe I want one.” Charm said now feeling crushed at being denied time to spend with the baby.
“R-really?” Rarity asked curiously
“Indeed.” Charm Feather giggled. 'Oh sun and moon, I giggled, first going crazy about shopping and now this?'
“Bad luck, it belongs to Celestia's chosen student and they aren't offering dragon eggs to hatch anymore. in fact that's why Princess Celestia wanted me to stay behind to talk to her the other day. She informed me that my test would be different and that she has a personal student so she will get busy."
"Awww, well come on, come on let’s go!” dropping the drake inside the room the two set off to Rarity’s test.
~ back to Celestia. ~
It had been a good hour of studying with her student, ‘Although I enjoy our sessions it gets kind of dull.’ she thought kind of tired from the intensive studying. Looking at the clock she noticed that the student’s magic tests would still be progressing right now, so getting up she stretched like a very big cat.
“Come along my student, let us have a break, we could watch the entrance exams to see any new promising students.” She said to Twilight who was eager to view the tests without all the pressure from last time.
With that the two were off.
******
Rarity was nervous, she hadn’t performed in front of a crowd before, already some of the students had failed the test, and already she was on edge since over thirty candidates had failed. She had no clue what the test was, since it was held in a private room.
Finally, it was her turn, they led her to a private room and closed the door, to her surprise, there were only a few unicorns testing her, and only one seemed to be the examiner, the others were there just to see her do the test.
"Hi honey, just show us your best spells, okay?" Said the examiner, it was an old and gentle mare with a few leaves as her cutie mark.
"Uh… I only got two spells… a gem finding spell that can find any gem in miles and a minor healing spell."
"Really, lets test that gem finding spell." The examiner uses her magic to point horn using magic and creating and arrow sign to the direction of Ponyville "Tell me if there is any gems that way."
Rarity closed her eyes and concentrated, she was alone for this, Charm Feather did not want to be near the Academy so Princess Celestia did not force her to reveal that she could do magic, and Guiding Star had said Rarity had to do this on her own. She focused her magic and then her eyes flashed white. "There are a lot of gems over there, what is it, the royal treasure? No… about three miles away, underground cave… a big deposit of gems, probably Diamond Dogs mine."
"Really?" The examiner called a couple of pegasus guards and told them to go there, half an hour later they were back and whispered something to the old mare. "It was true? That was quite impressive. Is that why you have a gem as part of your cutie mark?"
"Maybe? Uh, if you have an injured animal or something I could show my healing spell."
"Oh, nothing like that dear." The examiner created a knife with her magic and have herself a slight cut in her hoof. "There, now lets see this healing spell of yours."
Rarity focused her magic in the mare, first came the analysis, she saw more than the cut, she saw all of the old mare body and the problems it had. It might be a minor spell but she decided to go all out, she decided to use most of her magic, leaving herself just enough to not faint, she would not make the same mistake than when she saved Charms' life after the lecture she got. Her horn glowed gold and her magic covered the examiner body, the minor cut healed and there wasn't even a scar left, then her magic found other problems and healed them. That continued until the spell ran out of mana.
The examiner was left with her mouth open, she felt better than she had in years, old aches and pains were simply gone, and she could swear her hip did not hurt anymore.
"What… what did you do?" It seemed impossible, a small filly had done what it would take several trained unicorn mages to do, or a even a single if she was right… "Did you fix my bones?"
"Yes uh… I am tired so I am gonna sleep now." Rarity then fell asleep right there, she was smart enough to not totally exhaust herself, but she would have to be careful with her magic for a few weeks after this, heck for the first few days, even levitation would be too much.
This was crazy, first that purple filly called Twilight sparkle and now this filly called Rarity? What did they feed the unicorns in this generation? Maybe it was something in the water?
Then Celestia herself entered the room, she was carrying a sleeping purple unicorn on her back, and Charm feather was next to her carrying certain baby dragon.
"So, ladies and gentlecolts, did she pass?" The examiner looked behind her and the others nodded. "Yes, yes your majesty, she did."
"Oh my Gentle Breeze, you look like ten years younger at least." Celestia commented, making the old mare blush.
"Yes… I told her to heal a simple cut, and she did… a tad more than that."
"Yes, and she passed out again, at least this time she did not try to use more magic than she actually had." Celestia picked Rarity with her magic and got a wicked grin on her face.
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When Twilight Sparkle woke up later, it was in the same bed as a white unicorn she remembered crashing with before, she screamed, apologised, and ran back to her room. All that without waking up Rarity.
"You are a mean princess." Charm Feather said, still carrying the baby dragon, she had tried to put it in a basket, but it had ran back to her, so Charm had to wait for over an hour holding it until the purple filly finally woke up and was victim of Celestia's prank.
"Thank you, I try my best." Celestia then picked the baby dragon away from charm and hugged it. "You two can stay in the castle for today, this is a guest room and is rarely used, feel free to order any food or drinks you want, but nothing alcoholic."
"Okay." Charm knew that as a young mare she was probably a lightweight anyway, and as a human she had also not been very tolerant to alcohol.
"Now unfortunately I have to put this baby in his room, and attend to royal duties, thank you for your assistance. Goodbye miss Charm Feather."
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End of Chapter