//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: The Failed Spell // by silverspawn //------------------------------// Twilight spurted, trying but failing to stifle her laughter. “No, no, nothing like that. I totally respected his feelings. Uhm, where’s my cup?” She turned around, knocking said cup over. “Oupsie. AJ, care to refill?” “Anytime, sugar.” “Thanks.” Twilight took the cup as soon as it was filled. “Mh... this is so gooooood.” “So, what’d you do, huh? Huh?” “I just went to talk to him. I explained why I wasn’t a fan of how he kept spending time with-” “Booooring,” Rainbow Dash interrupted her. “Yeesh, Twilight. Do even your truth or dare stories end with you talking things out with somepony?” “Sush, Dashie. I’m sure the interesting part is about to come. So what’d he say?” “Said he loved her and me in a different way. Y’know, the responsible stuff. Big brother talk.” “And you accepted it?” “Nah.” Twilight laughed. “You have no idea how I worked back then. Sharing my brother was totally out of question. No, I said I was fine, but then I went outside and caught... uh, what’re they called again? The tiny little insect things?” “Bugs?” Pinkie suggested. “Ants?” That was Applejack. “Ants,” Twilight said. “Caught lots of them. Took quite a while, actually. Then I sneaked up to the place they met. And floated them under her dress. One by one.” “Ewwww. Gross gross gross!” Rarity threw her a disbelieving look, while the others burst out laughing. “How in Celestia’s name did you even manage to do that without getting caught? How didn’t she notice it?” “Cloaking spell. And... she did notice, believe me. After the first few. But she didn’t want to make a scene, so I slid in some more... and some more. Then I ran.” Twilight shook her head, giggling. “Honestly, looking back, I’m kinda surprised it worked, too.” “A Cloaking spell? How old were you, seven?” “Six.” Twilight grinned, sticking out her tongue. “One of the benefits of being a magical genius, y’know?” “Hah! Magical genius, huh? I knew you weren’t all humble as you usually pretend-” “Hey, that doesn’t count!” Twilight protested. “You can’t nail me on something I’m saying in my current-” But Rainbow didn’t even pause, completely rolling over her. “Do you guys know what else she can do with her magic? I visited the library the other day-” “Rainboooooooooow!” “Was that a secret?” Rainbow turned around, facing Twilight with what, as far as she could tell, might have been genuine concern. “Uhh...” Twilight giggled into her cup. “No, not really.” “She has a total drugging spell! It’s like being drunk, only it’s even cooler. Totally rad! And I always thought her magic could only do boring stuff-” “A spell to make you all funny inside?” Pinkie pouted. “Aww, why didn’t you invite me?” “It was a spontaneous idea,” Twilight answered bashfully, feeling legitimately flattered upon the recognition it was getting her. “Rainbow has had a lot on her mind, and I knew it’s really relaxing, so I offered it. It’s like a calmer version of being drunk." “I’d like to try that,” Fluttershy said, to the surprise of everypony else. She frowned. “What? Come on, guys. You know I don’t dislike alcohol, so what’s the difference? I, uhm... I like how it gets me over my shyness... and relaxing sounds... n-nice...” “Don’t dare to apologize, darling.” Rarity cast everyone else a dismissive look. “There is nothing wrong with wanting to try-” “Yeah.” Twilight interrupted her, blinking several times to sharpen her vision. “Except Fluttershy is already drunk-” “Right, so how do they mix?” That was Rainbow Dash. “I, uh...” Twilight squinted. “... ... ... ah, I don’t know. That’s too complicated to think about... right now.” “Well, let’s try it then!” Pinkie Pie. “Do you think you can still do the spell?” “Of... pfff... course.” Twilight stood up from where they’d been sitting and/or lying on the library floor. “I, uh...” She made a few shaky steps, trying not to lose her balance. “... at least I think so.” “Yeah, I’m not so sure ‘bout that bein’ such a good idea. We dun want ya messin’ with none of our minds while you're not clear in yer head.” “Yeah... that’s probably a good idea. But that reminds me...” She reeled around, making a wiggly line for a secret drawer in the library wall. “Look what I got since two days ago.” She produced a small box out of the drawer, opening it for everypony to see. “Isn’t that awesome?” “Woah.” Rainbow was hovering beside her, still much better on wing than Twilight was on hoof. “Are these...” “Yup.” Twilight gave a proud smirk. “The princess gave them to you?” Rarity. “Yeah. She said that it’s safer if I have them here, in case of an emergency.” “Do you think we are allowed to put them on?” “Don’t see why not.” Twilight lifted the diamond shaped gem out of the box, giving it to the fashionista. “Anypony else?” “That’s so rad.” Rainbow leaned down, snatching hers out of the box. “Awww yeah.” “Oh. Oh. I want it too!” “We’re doin’ anything with ‘em?” “I don’t think so,” Twilight answered while floating two more necklaces to Pinkie and AJ. “Fluttershy?” Fluttershy nodded, bowing her head to allow Twilight to put it around her neck. “What ‘bout you, sugar?” “I don’t think I should.” Twilight closed the box with only the tiara left, putting it onto a table. “Doing magic with my element put on could be dangerous.” She left out that, strictly speaking, she wasn’t supposed to do anything with the elements period, least of all when she was drunk. “Alright.” Rainbow grinned, poking the blaze around her neck. “Now’s time to drug Fluttershy.” Twilight giggled. “Why not. Fluttershy? You still want to try?” “Yes.” Fluttershy bore a blush on her face, but also a smile. “Uhm, it is not dangerous, is it?” “Nah. At worst I’ll give you an overdose. But even that couldn’t hurt you. Ready?” AJ, Rarity, and Pinkie all got up and walked closer to watch, with Rarity standing directly beside her. Rainbow was still hovering. Applejack made a sound as if she wanted to protest, but then she shrugged it off. Fluttershy took a gulp, but nodded. “Go ahead.” Twilight called upon her magic, her horn lighting up as usual, but something was wrong. The energy stream seemed to be pulled by several anchors outside of her control... five if she wasn’t mistaken. It would probably be best to ask the others to take off their elements before she continued. Hesitantly, she gave her magic a small push, just aimless energy without specifying a spell. To her surprise, the tugging immediately strengthened, to a point where keeping the stream at bay was problematic. With a gulp, she attempted to release it, but she couldn’t. Finally realizing the sincerity of the situation, she drew it back with all her might, the spilled energy slow to respond to her grasp, like a tapestry of rubber. She could feel them snapping, the connections she hadn’t even realized it had made with the elements, one after the next. Pinkie, Fluttershy... Applejack... ... ... and then, just barely, Rainbow Dash. Panicking, Twilight gathered energy as fast as she could, intending to cast an explosion that would probably destroy most of the library, but also disrupt the magical flow. It was one more mistake. She had too little time to control the flow of the energy she had summoned. It was pulled out of her like air was pulled into lungs, dispersing and forming patterns at random. Desperately, she studied them as fast as she could, recognizing what they would lead to and changing them into the next best thing. Soon, they were past the architectural stage, and Twilight could no longer interfere. She barely had time to realize what was to come, before she felt another tug... this one not on the magical plane... pulling her far, far away... Rain. Rain pouring down from above. A landscape of brown nothingness. No more than ten feet sight in any direction. No hills, no life, just flat soil. And an involuntary companion, still wearing her pendant around her neck.