//------------------------------// // Chapter 26 // Story: Waning and Waxing // by Calliope Pony //------------------------------// There is something I’m curious about, but it’s a while before I think to ask. “Who were those ponies who used the Elements on me? That unicorn, Twilight I think they called her, who is she? She was able to summon and wield the Element of Magic.” “Her name is Twilight Sparkle. I knew that when you returned I wouldn’t be able to use the Elements on you. So, several years ago I started a School for Gifted Unicorns. I thought that it would be a way to find somepony who could use the Element of Magic. Many talented young unicorns came, and if there were any who showed great promise I took them on as personal students. “I was aware of Twilight from a very young age. Her older brother attended the school and showed great skill at protective magic. His name is Shining Armor, and he’s now Captain of the Royal Guard. I’ll introduce you later. Anyway, I knew a little bit about his sister, and she had already piqued my interest as a possibility. It was no surprise when her parents enrolled her at the school. Most unicorns were required to make some demonstration of magic before being accepted, but occasionally I would give a special test. “We had found a lost dragon egg some while back. While it definitely seemed alive, it never hatched or showed any sign of changing. I couldn’t ever find any spells to make it hatch, so I thought of using it as a special test. I didn’t expect any of the young colts or fillies to be able to succeed, but I thought that asking it of them would push their limits, show their true potential. Even when they failed, it would show how they dealt with adversity. “I used that test for Twilight. Against all odds, though, she actually succeeded.” “She hatched the dragon egg? Even though you couldn’t?” “Yes. I could scarcely believe it when I saw it. It was a burst of raw magical potential like I’ve never seen before. But what was more amazing was what happened right after. I needed to help her rein the magic back in and bring it under control. As she regained control her cutie mark appeared. And then... then I truly couldn’t believe my eyes. Right there on her flank was an image of the Element of Magic surrounded by five stars. I felt sure then that she was the right pony to be an Element Bearer. “I took her on, trained her, taught her to focus and control the magical power within her. She was a good student... too good almost. In her zeal, she threw herself into her studies. She spent almost every waking hour reading and practicing. She never spent any time with other ponies. I worried that even if she had the ability to use the Elements she would fail as I had done. I had learned that they couldn’t be successfully used alone. I tried to encourage her to get out more, meet other ponies, spend time with the other students at the school, but nothing worked. I was almost at my wits’ end, and time was running out. I knew the spell would weaken after a thousand years, and I had to have a way of restoring you. “Twilight herself pushed my hoof. I never told her anything about you or the Elements. I thought it would be better for her without that expectation hanging over her head. Even so, she found out a little bit on her own. I don’t think she knew the whole truth, but she found out about Nightmare Moon and that the spell would break soon. She sent me a message to alert me. I thought about telling her everything then, but I decided not to. If I had I’m sure she would have rushed off to use the Elements on her own. So instead, I decided to give her one last push to find other ponies who could help. “I’ve made a point of holding the Summer Sun Celebration in different towns and cities every year. This year I selected Ponyville-“ “That’s the town where I... where I found you when I came back?” “Yes. I selected Ponyville because it’s the closest place to our old castle where the Elements were. When Twilight sent me her message I pretty much just blew her off. I knew that if I acknowledged the problem she would focus all her energy on solving it alone. So I ignored what she was telling me and ordered her to go to Ponyville. I put her in charge of overseeing all the preparations for the festival. It was the only thing I could think of to make her go out and meet other ponies. If she made even one new friend to help her she would have a chance of using the Elements successfully. “It worked better than I could have hoped. She made five friends, and the six of them used the Elements together. I could sense the power all the way from- I think the power from the Elements was even stronger than when you and I used them together. Maybe the more ponies there are using them, the more their power grows.” “When I first saw her I was curious. I didn’t know if a common unicorn would be able to use the Elements. She must have tremendous magical ability.” “She does, and I think she may be capable of achieving even more. Only time will tell on that, though.” Now it’s my turn to talk about what happened at Ponyville and the old castle. “When I realized that they were setting out to find the Elements I saw them as enemies. I had no idea if they would be able to use them if they found them, but I didn’t want to take any chances. I followed them through the forest and tried to sabotage them.” I have to fight to correct myself. “No, what I mean is I tried to hurt them, to terrify them.... maybe even to kill them. I... I...” I choke a little as I try to get the words out. “I fought them the whole way there. I laid traps and cast spells. I was so...so malevolent.” Celestia hugs me until I can go on. “But then, there was something else going on inside me too. I wasn’t conscious of it at the time. I’m not sure I even understand it now. But deep, deep down inside part of me wanted them to succeed. I kept trying and trying to hurt them or make them turn back, and yet the whole time there was something inside me that wanted to be beaten. I think maybe I didn’t think about it because it’s like I was keeping a secret from myself without even realizing what I was doing. I don’t know if that makes any sense.” “It does. I think maybe that was your true self deep down.” I mull that over for a little while. “You mean maybe the real me, the part that wasn’t Nightmare Moon knew they could restore me? Maybe... maybe as I was consciously fighting against them, at the same time I was subconsciously helping them?” “It seems to make sense. After all, no matter what happens, no amount of dark magic could make you stop being my sister.”