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// Experience of Horn Envy: 2 
// Story: Aces High: Losers Fly 
// by Ponyess 
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	Princess Cadence had instructed her subjects to smile, as they passed me by; any time they were in close proximity to me.  She had also let on that they should be laughing, while I was there.  I guess that wasn’t too hard.  I had seen smiles most of the day, and I knew the Ponies were happy, not because she had told them to smile, but I just had that feeling from them.



It isn’t as if I had never seen the Crystal Heart before.  We had helped them install it, when we saved the Empire from their former King, Sombra.  That is also when we saw how it was supposed to work.

Now, as I was approaching the heart, happily bouncing in the direction where it was, I had this one strange feeling.  Maybe I can’t quite put a hoof on exactly what the feeling was, but there is nothing new about that.  I had the same problem pinning down most every feeling and hunch I had.  I trust the instincts, knowing they lead me true to what is.

Just as I was a few feet from the crystal, something changed.  I could feel it, pulling me in a new direction.  I suddenly stood before the heart, as if I had had an audience with our beloved Princess.  With all hooves firmly on the ground, I stand still, looking before me.  Now my forehead is a mere inch from the object.



The arcane magic is commonly known to be reserved for Unicorns; even with the exception of the few known Alicorns, they can wield it too, only with greater ease and control than any common Unicorn.  Of course, this isn’t technically quite correct, considering that I have been seen using levitation, and a few other arcane tricks.

Weather magic, channeled through the wings is likewise commonly known to be reserved for our Pegasi; once again, the exception of the Alicorns.  Of course, as of yet, no Alicorn has managed the feats of Rainbow Dash, even if one may be a fast flyer, in the specific case.

We Earth type Ponies are known to tend to the land, to work farms all across the nation of Equestria, which is also true, up to a point.  Not all of us are working these farms.  I was, up until I threw my first party.  On the other hoof, channeling magic through; mane, tail and hooves is not as easy as one may expect.

Now we come to delicious part, Twilly did see me fly unaided, with my tail instead of the non-existing wings I never was born with.  Her friend Minuet saw me too; since she was practically under me at the time.



There is a sudden flash of blue light.  The sign of what was to come, and from where it came; I do recognize the colour of my very own eyes.  I sure have seen more than enough of them, for the instant recognition.  Forgetting isn’t exactly my strong suit, as opposed to forgiving.

As the flash of blue passed, the heart light up; just brighter than it had, when I last saw it.  That was when it was reinitialised.  Sombra will never return, as the King he was at the time.

A vibration is felt throughout the entire city, just before the spire came alight.  I guess this was less than expected.  Then it hit me, the castle does kind of look like a Unicorn's horn, if you can ignore the twisted perspective and the way out of proportion size.



If you go by size, when measuring the capability of a Unicorn performing Arcane Magic, then I guess I have the upper hoof here.  Of course, the shape also play into the game.  Then there is the small matter of available magical potential present at the instant of casting.  Aside from that, there is another detail to contend with, your focus, and skill.  At the later, I do best most every one of them.  Possibly with the exception of Twilly.



The irony is that none in the city ever realized what was happening.   You can’t really see what happens, unless you are on a safe distance from where the spell is cast.

What they may see, is a blue light, but it feels more like as if the city is fully lit up, not as if a spell is cast.  If you see me, you instinctively know I can’t cast any Arcane Spell, knowing that I am no Unicorn, but an Earth type Pony.



What came next is a red shift as the spell took effect in the form of a shield all over the city.  I guess it is no small feat, but I am not a little filly, or at a loss of focus or available potential magic at my disposal.

From what I have seen, all shields are seen as a slight change into the red; when you are looking through it.  I may not have seen every type of shied there is, but I have seen a few, by now.  Just don’t you forget that now.



What may have come as an utter surprise is when it started to rain confetti and streamers, as if from puffy white summer clouds.  After that, the sky filled with colourful balloons, like flocks of merry birds.  The entire spectacle in the hues of the rainbow Dashie was known to handle, and spread across the sky.



I know of what happened only from passing glances.  I had been at the eye of the storm, whipping up the spellS in the instant of inspiration, not knowing what I did, more than when my tail was hinting towards a falling object.

Once the spell was cast and I had been out of it, I could see the confetti and streamers as they slowly covered the ground, before evaporating as if they were snow falling on a hot rock.  Yet, Ponies had already caught on, and the spirits of a party could be sensed flying free in the air.

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