Time had a habit of flying past, regardless of the circumstances.
Case in point, a whole day had already passed since Twilight received that ominous message from Princess Celestia. Much to her disappointment, there hadn't been another letter since then, Twilight taking deep breaths to calm herself. Maybe the lack of any news meant things were going according to plan. And it wasn't as though Celestia had the time to write letters if she was in the midst of something important.
There was still another conundrum facing Twilight: Was focusing on her studies instead of joining Celestia the right thing to do? Celestia had ordered Twilight to stay back for the time being, the latter in no hurry to go against her idol's suggestions. She knew that ruining whatever plan Celestia might've had by showing up days early would probably make things worse.
Regardless of what the future had in store, if Twilight was going to make it out of the next few days with her sanity intact, she needed something relaxing to distract her. And the questions she had from yesterday might be just the distraction she needed to make it through the next few days. The journal resting inside her saddlebag helped her with this, the latest spell she used when working with Rarity and Rainbow Dash earlier in the day her most recent entry.
Luckily, working alongside Starlight was the perfect recipe for calming down, the open fields where spells were often tested the icing on the cake. Blades of grass shone under the sunlight; it and a nearby river looked like something out of a painting. A few trees reaching for the sky only helped add to the scene. As Twilight trotted for a moment, she turned to Starlight, her friend's eyes twinkling like stars as she also surveyed the environment.
"You never told me about this place!" Starlight blurted out. Prancing over to Twilight, she donned a smile brighter than the sun. "And you weren't kidding when you said it was perfect for trying out magic." She took a deep breath, rolling her shoulders and standing tall. "By the way, is there more to today than just testing magical potential—or whatever it's called?"
"Remember, magical potential isn't what I'd call it," said Twilight. She made her way toward Starlight, playfully nudging her shoulder. "I'm thinking it's along the lines of some kind of magical energy, something that I know all ponies have. But there's something about you that's different."
"What do you mean?"
"It's no secret that you're a prodigy." Twilight pointed at Starlight's cutie mark, slowly moving her hoof to her friend's chest. "Whether it's because of your cutie mark or you've dedicated time to learning spells, I know that you have a lot of talent. You might even be almost as good as me."
Starlight blushed. With a sheepish smile, she chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far. Besides, you are a princess."
"No need to be so humble." Twilight's muscles loosened. "Anyway, the question I'm hoping to answer is why some ponies are extraordinarily talented at magic, yet some never seem to be able to reach that level. Is knowing a variety of powerful spells reliant on your cutie mark, or is it just that we're interested in these things? Those are some of the questions I hope to answer."
"And that's why you worked with Rarity and Rainbow earlier today?"
Twilight merely bobbed her head.
"So at least we know that whatever you did before should work here." Freezing in place, Starlight adopted a confused look, brow raised. "But when you say you're looking at my magical energy, just how do you plan on measuring that?" Her head cocked to the left. "There's kinetic and potential energy, so how does magic play into this?"
Giggling, Twilight's smile widened. "You're thinking of something completely different. We're dealing purely with magic today."
"Okay, but I have one more question." Starlight paused, the shimmer in her eyes suggesting uncertainty. Twilight had seen that look enough times to know what it meant. "What if I have more of this magical energy than Rarity, or what if the amount varies depending on who you examine? Would it then become something like how toned somepony's muscles are, or would it be something we're stuck with?"
"We'll answer those questions when we get there." Twilight paced back and forth once again. She recalled that both Rarity and Rainbow exhibited the same amount of magical energy, not a single noticeable difference from a simple spell to one of Rainbow's most daring stunts. It was why Starlight was the last piece of the puzzle for this question; she knew almost as much as Twilight and was easily one of the most talented unicorns in Equestria, at least when it came to magic.
Twilight glanced behind her shoulder, then back to the world in front of her. She brought the book in her saddlebag over to her via magic, opening it to the bookmarked page a second later. Recognizing the symbols and writing, Twilight knelt down, the cold dew tickling her coat. The book joined her and softly landed on the earth.
"So I should fire off any spell?" asked Starlight. She glanced at the book's notes, eyes shifting from left to right. "And I know this is beside the point, but what's in the book is your spell, isn't it? The writing is yours and everything looks organized to the last detail, nothing like the other books I've read."
"You have a good eye," Twilight admitted. "When it comes to writing spells, keeping everything tidy makes it much easier to follow. Some of the things I've written are straightforward, but others have proven difficult." She squinted at the book's contents. "This spell, for example, does work for the most part."
"What do you mean?" Starlight's cheeks tautened.
"It sometimes fails, but it's nothing to worry about." Twilight rubbed Starlight's shoulder. Her friend's expression brightened up in an instant. "What some ponies don't know is that with most spells, misfiring or getting it wrong produces some harmless sparks. It's only for the complicated ones with sensitive variables that are dangerous. Those you have to be careful with."
Starlight wiped her forehead. "At least it's nothing awful. Thank goodness we probably won't have to clean up if this doesn't work." She straightened her posture and nudged away from Twilight, blankly staring at an empty part of the field. "Should I try out one of my spells, or should I cast something specific?"
"Anything will do, but make sure it's potent and safe."
Starlight took a deep breath and closed her eyes. As a turquoise aura wrapped around Starlight's horn, large bubbles appeared from nowhere, all of them almost as large as the average pony and dancing just above the mare. It was a spell Twilight had some familiarity with, the rainbow-colored streaks decorating the bubbles indicating it as one of the more artful ones. And as it was taught in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, it was one not anypony could've mastered right away.
Everything was finally in place.
Returning her gaze to the book, then back to Starlight, Twilight clenched her teeth and began casting her own spell. Shocks coursed through her veins as a violet light wrapped around her horn. Yet after a few seconds, pathetic sparks flew from Twilight's horn, all of them vanishing upon touching the grass. Twilight tried the spell again; the second time was what worked for Rarity and Rainbow's demonstrations.
All Twilight got were more sparks. They descended like leaves from a tree, lazily swaying back and forth before fizzling out in a flash. Twilight's heart sank, a deep sigh escaping her lips. The results weren't entirely unexpected, but it hadn't changed the fact that such a sight left bitter tastes in her mouth.
Starlight ceased casting her spell. Upon turning to face Twilight, her expression twisted from a bright smile into a grim frown, nervous chuckles escaping her lips. Twilight wore a glum visage of her own, swiftly closing the journal with a thump, the noise causing Starlight to shudder in surprise.
"It's fine," said Twilight. She stood up, placing the journal back in her saddlebag. A groan left her lips. "Really, it's just the spell I wrote being finicky again."
"We can try again, right?" Starlight asked. "If Rarity and Rainbow both gave you results, something will come up soon enough." She rubbed her muzzle, tapping the ground with her other hoof. "And I don't mean to offend, but maybe the spell needs improvements. Do you think a few tweaks might help?"
"Probably. Besides, this is far from the first spell I've had to modify." Twilight froze in place before forcing a smile. "Even when you've studied magic your whole life and have written spells before, there's always a few that require revisions. Anyway, shall we look it over during our break?"
Starlight nodded without a second thought, trotting right over to where Twilight stood. "That sounds like a plan to me. But I am a bit parched, so maybe we could go for some tea during our break." Her hoof stretched out and pointed at a small, brown tavern visible in the midst of Ponyville. "There's this wonderful cafe that I found not long after settling in Ponyville. Does that interest you?"
"It most certainly does!" Twilight paused, gently tapping Starlight's shoulder. "Oh, and thanks for helping out."
Starlight shyly brushed her mane. "As I said, it's only fair that I lend a helping hoof. And I bet you would've figured out that the spell needed work eventually." She grinned and leaned closer to Twilight. "Come on, you know how talented you are. Not everything's going to be perfect right away."
"Okay, maybe I'm also being too humble." Twilight's laughter picked up, Starlight joining in shortly after. "Gosh, it's almost like we alternate between teacher and pupil. I'm teaching you magic and friendship; you taught me a lesson the day you met Trixie. It's truly amazing! Who knows what's next?"
"I guess we'll soon find out."
The two made their way down a slight incline and toward Ponyville. While the thought of having to revise her spell stung a little, Twilight kept her head raised. Yet the spell working twice before prodded her nerves at the thought. A few spells were certainly unreliable, but it was typically clear whenever they had design flaws.
Hopefully, somepony knew exactly what the spell needed.
Life was full of surprises; today was no different.
What surprised Twilight this time around was not having a problematic spell, as that was just how new spells worked, but having a meal with one of her friends for the second day in a row. Those rarely ever happened, the previous instances usually being mere coincidences like this particular outing with Starlight.
Twilight and her friend sat just outside the cafe, an umbrella above them to provide some much needed shade. Ponies trotted in and out of the cafe, voices polluting the air. Some were easily audible while others were mere murmurs. And despite the sun shining brightly overhead, a slight breeze sometimes flew past, Twilight shivering on occasion.
The oak tables were somewhat warm to the touch, their surfaces as smooth as silk. Placed at the center was an unlit candle, two small menus listing a series of drinks surrounding it. What captured Twilight's attention most of all, however, was the pungent scent of coffee coming from the cafe's interior. Whirring sounds reached her ears whenever one of the machines indoors ran, and it was almost always followed with that ever familiar tune of liquid being poured into a cup. Those senses weren't exactly what she'd call soothing, but they weren't irritating to the point of pushing her away.
Starlight made eye contact with Twilight. "Aside from our research, what else has been going on?" she asked. She nudged an inch closer to Twilight, adopting a quizzical visage. "I'm still getting used to Ponyville, but you've been busier than a bee. Speaking of which, didn't you get interviewed about a boutique?"
Nodding, Twilight rested her forelegs on the chair. "I sure did," she replied. "It's a long story, but the gist of it is that my friends and I were interviewed after Rarity for You had its grand opening." She paused, the memories of that day forcing her lips into a wide grin and tickling her chest. "It was quite the mess at first, but both the opening and the interview turned out great."
"That's a relief. You know what Rarity can be like when she's nervous." Starlight chuckled softly. "But at the same time, I know that she would've made it work. All of you know how to make it through something tough. I definitely admire that, even if I felt otherwise when we first met. You know why."
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Starlight, do you mind if I ask you a question?" She paused, pressing her hooves together and donning a stern expression. "It's a bit sensitive, so if you feel uncomfortable, please let me know." With a deep breath, Twilight then gazed directly into Starlight's eyes. "This thing about your past being brought up a lot makes me worry about you."
"About me becoming evil again?"
Twilight quickly shook her head. "Not that, but rather about the past haunting you. I know we've had some problems here and there, but I'd love to help out if I can."
"Thanks." Starlight nodded. "It's tough adapting to a new life. Ever since Our Town forgave me, I've been wondering if they truly had. Not everypony can be as understanding as you, Twilight."
"I just know it'll work out in the end." Twilight touched her chest, Starlight merely pressing hers together. "Maybe once things start to calm down, we'll both visit Our Town again. They're a friendly bunch, remember? They wouldn't have hugged you like that if it wasn't genuine, after all."
"Yeah, the four who stopped me that one time seemed forgiving." She twiddled her mane, twisting a strand into a slight curl. "Maybe you and your friends could give a helping hoof if we visit the town again. I'm not exactly ready to revisit the townsponies on my own just yet. There's a lot that might go wrong if I went by myself."
"Maybe I should keep that in mind," a familiar voice said.
Twilight recognized that voice from anywhere, the owner without a doubt being Trixie. And as she turned to the left, her assumption was spot on, the blue mare adorned with a hat and cape pressing her weight against the cafe's wall. Surrounded by a bluish aura and hovering before her was a cup, Trixie occasionally drinking from it and licking her lips. Electricity coursed through Twilight's veins, but it was soon accompanied with her mouth curling into a soft smile.
"Oh, hello," Twilight replied with a sheepish smile. She turned to Trixie and gently waved at her.
"Hello, Twilight," Trixie continued. "And hello, Starlight." She took another sip of her drink. "How is everything?"
"We're fine." Twilight raised an eyebrow. "But where did you come from? Were you snooping on us?"
"Not at all!" Shaking her head, laughter then left Trixie's mouth for a moment. She tugged her cape and inched closer to Twilight. "I just got here, but just saw you after getting a drink. I merely chipped in when I had something to say." Trixie adjusted her hat. "Anyway, I have a little something to share."
"What would that be?"
Trixie cleared her throat. "It's a little story. See, after the incident with the Alicorn Amulet, I met some friendly acquaintances during my travels. However, I thought trying to make friends would go poorly like earlier attempts." Standing on all fours once more, she approached Twilight and Starlight's table, sitting down at one of the empty chairs. Trixie then brought her attention to Starlight. "It wasn't until I met you, Starlight, that I realized how important friendship was. The moment we first met each other at the spa, I knew you were the pony who'd become my friend."
Starlight blushed. "I'm glad I met you, Trixie," she said. "Despite what others might think, you're a kind pony." She gently poked Trixie's chest, the latter looking down for a moment. "You've got a good heart. And believe me, trying to become a better pony is tough. I've still got plenty to learn."
"Tell me about it."
"Anyway, what brings you back to Ponyville?"
Trixie's grin exuded a palpable excitement. She slid her chair an inch closer to Starlight. "I've been gathering supplies for my wagon over the past few days. Trixie's next shows are planned to be the most impressive yet!" Trixie caught her breath. "One of my stops was in Ponyville, and I wanted to get something to drink while I was here. I just didn't expect to see the two of you."
"Same here," Twilight added. "And how has everything else been going?"
"They've been terrific! Ever since we last saw each other, my shows have been improving immensely. Discovering more about friendship has helped so much. And yes, I've been trying to best limit my onstage behaviors—" Trixie giggled and wore a sheepish grin "—when I'm not performing."
"That's wonderful, but. . ." Twilight's wings itched. There was something she needed to get off her tightening chest. "I also wanted to apologize for how I acted the last time we met. I was too paranoid and I should've given you another chance. I was so concerned about everything that day."
"It's fine, Twilight." Trixie patted Twilight's shoulder. "I made plenty of mistakes that day, too. I just got caught up in the heat of the moment during our argument, and it's safe to say that you and Starlight were justified in feeling upset. To be honest, I should also apologize for what I said."
"Apology accepted."
Trixie rubbed her eyes. "I wanted to ask you something else, too." Pausing, she pursed her lips and briefly tapped the table's surface. "What's going on with Princess Celestia? I saw her with some guards yesterday, but I never found out why. She just flew past with this serious look on her face."
"How did you see her?" Twilight's eyes widened to the size of saucers. Celestia was an expert at avoiding detection if needed, always plotting out routes where virtually nopony would see her. How Trixie or anypony for that matter spotted her couldn't have made sense, even if the magician traveled miles with her wagon. Twilight took a deep breath, feigning a cough. Sweat dripped down her forehead. "I mean, she's not doing anything important, but it's still odd. Did you try getting her attention?"
"I thought about it, but she seemed occupied at the moment." Trixie's brow sagged somewhat. She blinked, her visage donning a curious expression. After a few seconds of silence, both Twilight and Trixie merely staring at each other, the latter suddenly muttered, "You're hiding something secret, aren't you?"
"Not at all!" Twilight's head shook wildly. "I'm just surprised!" She chuckled, cheeks feeling as warm as the sun. Trixie must've been much cleverer than she appeared, not too surprising since even she had to have studied a variety of tricks. But this was beyond what Twilight expected. Her eyes swiftly moved about, avoiding eye contact with Trixie. "And I'm thirsty, too."
"Shall we go order a drink?" asked Starlight. She raised her hoof, twinkles flashing in her eyes. "Tea is still the plan, but I'll get some water if you're up for that." She stood up, pushing her chair against the table via her magic. Starlight then turned to Trixie. "And is there anything else you'd like?"
Trixie shook her head. "I'm fine."
"And can you come with me for a moment, Twilight?"
Twilight nodded, standing up and immediately poking her head inside the cafe. Starlight trotted toward her. Their shoulders rubbed against each other the moment they stepped inside, creaks filling the air as they stepped on the old, wooden floor. The cafe's interior sent chills through Twilight's spine despite the front door being open. And before Twilight had a chance of looking at the menu, she noticed Starlight's lips moving closer to her ear.
"Trixie knows that something's up," Starlight whispered. "She may not know what Princess Celestia is doing, but telling her it's nothing won't work." She paused briefly, brow ruffled a little. "And is it just me, or is there something about Trixie that suggests she's much stronger than before?"
"How would you know?" Twilight retorted.
"You seriously haven't noticed how much she's matured?"
Twilight quickly shook her head. "Not like that. I'm talking about how you know that she's improved immensely at magic."
"There's just something about her that suggests she's changed, the way she acts the most obvious part. And I bet she's improved immensely in magic, too. It's as if somepony passed on their knowledge onto her." Starlight paused briefly, faking a smile out of nowhere. "Maybe we should ask if she wants to join us for the project."
"Slow down, please." Twilight placed her hooves on both of Starlight's shoulders, adopting a concerned frown. "I'd love to have Trixie working with us, but we'd have to change a few things first. Remember, we need to keep Celestia's mission a secret. If Trixie's joining us, we can only mention it when it's just us, okay?"
Starlight bobbed her head. "Works for me. Like what Princess Luna said, I'll just say that Celestia is meeting with somepony important. And if we do have to visit the uncharted lands, should we tell Trixie the truth or just keep it a secret? We should tell the truth by that point." Her eyes swiveled from left to right, eventually staring into Twilight's again. "Besides, maybe—"
"We can't just go around announcing things like that." Twilight's muzzle scrunched up. She leaned closer to Starlight, their cheeks less than an inch away from colliding. "Remember, all of Equestria will go crazy if they find out what truly happened. And while Trixie's a much better pony, I don't know if she's the kind of mare to keep secrets. We'll only tell her as a last resort."
Starlight stepped away from Twilight and dusted herself off. She gazed up at the menu hanging above the counter, the names of drinks and snacks carved onto a wooden board. It blended in with the cafe's interior, much of it constructed with unpainted oak planks, though it was large enough to where it commanded attention as well. Looking back at Twilight, Starlight trotted up toward the counter, motioning back to her friend.
"Let's focus on other things for now," Starlight said. "The less we fret about what Celestia is doing, the easier it'll be to keep secret."
Twilight nodded, her cheeks puffed as she forced a smirk. Shaking off the tension gripping her muscles seemed downright impossible. She hoped that Trixie hadn't overheard her and mentioned it to somepony else, even if that would've required hearing better than a bat's. And if ponies like Lily Valley or Sweetie Belle discovered what happened, it would've been inevitable that everypony else knew.
Taking a deep breath, Twilight pressed her hoof against her chest. She stretched her foreleg out and closed her eyes. Upon opening them, she trotted up to Starlight and kept trying to maintain her smile. Twilight's friend at least grinned and bounced around at the prospect of having tea with her. It was just enough to make Twilight's expression genuine.
While some ponies were fortunate enough to have their drinks right away, Twilight lacked the same kind of luck this time around. Listening to machines whirring about for other customers, waiting for the tea to be prepared, and making sure it wouldn't burn her tongue at the touch was a process that felt like hours instead of just a few minutes. But with everything in place, Twilight and Starlight lifted their cups and trotted outside once more. Trixie was still waiting for them, yet Twilight's coat became pale as she touched the cold, ticklish grass.
Trixie wore a smug smirk, hooves behind her head as she reclined on the chair. While this was an expression the mare likely spent years mastering, one she often wore during her shows or whenever things went her way, Twilight knew that spotting it now of all times only meant one thing.
"I heard what you were whispering," Trixie teased. She waved a hoof at Twilight and Starlight, the two staring blankly at each other before returning to the table. They sat down in unison. Trixie then leaned closer to them and said, "But you have nothing to worry about. Your secret is safe with Trixie."
Starlight raised an eyebrow. "How did you hear us?" she asked, glancing to her left and right before looking at Trixie. "Nopony who trotted past us even batted an eye. Yet here you are, sitting outside, and somehow you know everything we said?" Starlight's eyes widened a little. "How did you do that?"
Trixie tapped her hooves together, cheeks flushed. "I just have great hearing," she quickly said. In a flash, she adjusted her hat, looking up and then rubbing her forehead. "Honestly, that's what happened." Chuckling, Trixie crossed her hind legs. "Anyway, I understand why you were hesitant to tell me."
"Well, we were told to keep it a secret in most cases," Twilight explained, the tension in her body dissipating. "We were only allowed to tell other ponies if it was absolutely necessary. Then again, it looks like you've already pieced things together." Twilight lowered her head and focused on her drink, then looked at Trixie and smiled shortly after. "And thanks for promising to keep it a secret."
"I'm not a fool. Anything about Princess Celestia is important." Trixie placed her hooves atop the table, gently sliding her empty cup out of the way. "But what about making sure nopony knows what's going on? Princess Luna might be able to keep things running, but Equestria will notice something's amiss soon enough."
"Supposedly, Princess Luna has said her sister is meeting with somepony important," said Starlight, shrugging. "That's what I've heard, and it does sound like something Princess Celestia would do. The problem is knowing what to do if Twilight, her friends, and I have to go rescue her."
"If you need more company, the Wonderbolts might be able to help." Trixie paused for a moment, twiddling her mane. "I've met with them before, and I know that they'll join you if needed. They might not be as strong as you and your friends, Twilight, but having more allies by your side helps wonders."
"Wait, first Rainbow Dash told me about them, now you?" Starlight cocked her head, rubbing it shortly after. While Twilight recalled what Rainbow said regarding Starlight not knowing about the Wonderbolts, actually seeing it made the princess wonder just how long Starlight resided in Our Town. Most ponies Twilight met heard of them or at least found the name familiar.
"I'll explain what their history is later," Twilight said, her lips curling into a bright grin. "It'll be just like teaching Rainbow about the Wonderbolts' history again!"
Starlight's brow rose. "Wait, what? I thought Rainbow knew everything about the Wonderbolts."
"Well, we all have to start somewhere."
Trixie nodded, glancing at her drink and then back at Twilight. "I can attest to that," she said. "Going from an amateur who thought she was the best in the world to truly becoming one of the greats felt so surreal."
Without warning, Twilight shivered a little. She recalled having her saddlebag on the ground, and looking to her left, it was right where she remembered leaving it. Her journal still sat inside. While Trixie had a long way to go before becoming one of the greatest mages, at least in Twilight's view, there was a slim chance she knew how to fix the spell.
"Trixie, can I ask you for a quick favor?" Twilight muttered.
Trixie leaned closer to Twilight and made eye contact. "How might the Great and Powerful Trixie be of assistance?" she asked, her tone exuding confidence. Her widening grin and cheerful tone captured Twilight's attention. And while Twilight saw Trixie as friendly nowadays, it wasn't as though the latter hoping to best her at something was unexpected.
"I've written this spell on how to detect magical energy." Twilight lifted the book with her magic and placed it on the table. A thud rang in her ears, Twilight immediately opening the journal to the bookmarked page. "Here is the spell in question. Each of the symbols looks right, yet the spell seems to fail more often than not."
Trixie lowered her head, twisting the book around and scanning the pair of pages. Her eyes shifted from left to right, rubbing her muzzle and nodding on occasion. However, her eyes locked onto the bottom of the book, always happening whenever she reached that point. And after over a minute of pure silence, Twilight and Starlight not budging an inch, Trixie slid the book back to Twilight and assumed a stern expression.
"I think the two symbols at the end might be wrong," Trixie muttered. "Most spells follow a distinct pattern, right?"
Twilight bobbed her head. "Most spells do, but some are different than the norm."
"Other than what I mentioned, everything else seems fine." Trixie shrugged. Standing up again, she pushed her chair in and looked at the journal once more. "I wish I knew what was happening, but it looks like you're on your own for this one. Maybe try changing the last two symbols to reflect the spell's pattern. That's all I have."
"Thank you for helping, Trixie." Closing the book, Twilight's horn then became enveloped by an aura, the book returning to the saddlebag. "It's not much, but a start is better than nothing." Pausing, Twilight raised a hoof. "But I do have one other question."
Trixie stood perfectly still, brow raised. "What is it?"
"How did you improve in magic so quickly? It's surprising seeing how much you've learned ever since we first met." Twilight pushed herself upright, standing on all fours once more. "So what's your secret? You found out ours, so it's only fair that we learn about yours."
"I just started studying much more." Trixie twiddled her mane. "I'd be lying if I said it was easy, but it was possible." Trixie crept over to Twilight, the latter following suit. Seconds later, Starlight stood up and joined the pair, all three of them huddling up. "And I also learned a lot from both of you."
"We learned a few things from you, too." Twilight drank her last sips of tea, placing the cup down. "But are you sure it was just studying? I know you're a talented pony, but such a vast improvement must've meant having a tutor. That's how I became much more proficient when I was a foal." She decorated her face with a sly smile. "What's your secret? There's got to be more than just that."
Feigning laughter, Trixie rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, you do learn a lot about how spells work just by practicing for shows. It's not like I voluntarily tutored with a crystaller after a show, learning that I needed to change a few things I thought were right." As Trixie chuckled again, Starlight gave her a curious look. "Okay, maybe I met one a month ago, but it wasn't much."
Twilight arched an eyebrow. However, she smiled once more, prancing away from the cafe. "That does sound specific," she teased. "But I'll take your word for it. Both sound like good plans for anypony curious about magic." Twilight then waved at both Starlight and Trixie. "Come and join us if you want, Trixie. Starlight and I are going to try the spell again."
Starlight patted Trixie's back, the latter shuddering in surprise. "We could use another friend, you know," Starlight said.
Trixie caught up to where Twilight was, head raised. "I'm up for it. Just tell me what you need."
Suddenly, an idea took form in Twilight's mind. While having Starlight volunteering to help out by casting an array of spells, having a second pony such as Trixie doing the same would've possibly opened up more findings on how magic functioned. The two unicorns had their similarities, but plenty of differences as well. Everything was finally starting to fall in place.
"There is something you could help with," Twilight said, looking back at Trixie. "When we head back to the open fields, Starlight is going to cast some spells while I try studying whether a pony's magic determines what spells they can cast. I call this magical energy, and if you could do the same as Starlight, that would be great."
Trixie slowly nodded at Twilight, the former's smile exuding confidence. "The Great and Powerful Trixie's most magnificent spells should do the trick," she said. "I'll use some of the spells I've mastered for my shows, maybe include a few others here and there. And you should watch in awe."
"I guess it depends on how my revised spell goes." Twilight's cheeks felt ticklish. Trotting once more, she waved at Starlight and Trixie, both of them following right beside her. "Anyway, let's go someplace quiet and do our best."
As the trio marched forward, smiles adorning their faces, Twilight couldn't help herself from feeling a little proud of herself. Sure, getting used to Trixie's antics wasn't happening overnight, but being on more positive terms with her was something she admittedly appreciated. And as the Princess of Friendship, understanding other ponies was crucial, and Twilight knew she was improving at that the more she learned about friendship.
Maybe she'd discover something completely new minutes later.
Twilight wondered if Trixie knew what improvements the spell needed, yet kept the answers to herself. There was something peculiar about the magician that tickled Twilight's coat at the thought. As they arrived at their destination, cracks reaching Twilight's ears as she stepped onto a lonesome branch, the possibility that Trixie was different than before kept seeming more likely than ever.
Trixie's boastful attitude was still present, albeit in smaller doses as Twilight predicted after their third meeting. However, the exponential growth of her magical abilities just didn't make sense. Nopony Twilight had ever heard of could've improved that much by their lonesome in such a short amount of time. Was Trixie holding back the entire time? Whatever was going on, understanding Trixie's growth was just another question among the pile of mysteries Twilight had to deal with.
However, having another gifted pony helping out warmed Twilight's chest, even if a few of Trixie's claims were dubious. Yet the possible connection with Sunburst was something she just had to discover. He was Starlight's best friend during their foalhood, so perhaps inviting the three of them to lunch was a possibility. Of course, that depended on whether the connection actually existed.
Twilight took a deep breath. "Can I ask you a question, Trixie?"
Trixie nodded without hesitating. "What do you have in mind?" she replied. "Any changes to what we're doing?"
"Not really." Twilight crept over to her acquaintance, the pair making eye contact. "I wanted to ask if you met a pony named Sunburst during your travels."
"Sunburst?" Trixie's eyes widened. With rosy cheeks, she glanced over to Starlight, who merely responded with a soft grin. And as Trixie turned toward Twilight, she let out a sigh. "Okay, I couldn't improve that much on my own. Sunburst was the pony who taught me how to become better at magic." She crossed her forelegs. "When we first met a few months ago, he told me how to improve. Relearning how spells worked was something I did with him."
Starlight made her way over to Trixie, patting her friend on the back. "That's sounds like Sunburst to me," she added. "I wouldn't be surprised if you reminded him of me." Laughter momentarily escaped her mouth. "Anyway, we recently reunited after both of us got separated years ago. And while he doesn't cast powerful spells, hardly anypony knows more about magic than him."
"No kidding. I sometimes didn't understand the stuff he was saying." Trixie briefly focused on Twilight's saddlebag, the latter's journal clearly visible. "Anyway, shall we try out the new spell?"
"I have one more question," Twilight responded, hoof raised. She approached Trixie with a comforting smile. "How come you said it was just from you studying? We wouldn't have judged you for learning about magic from somepony else. Remember when we agreed that all of us have to start somewhere?"
Trixie bobbed her head.
"Just think of it like that."
"I'll do my best." Trixie paused momentarily, catching her breath. While the somewhat blank expression she wore suggested that there was more to the truth than she admitted, pressing the matter further would have possibly caused more problems. However, discussing it another time was required. "As I was saying, let's give this new spell a try."
Twilight pulled the book out of her saddlebag, flipping to the relevant page for a third time. Glancing what she had written over and over, thinking about the rule of patterns Trixie pointed out earlier, she spotted the two elaborate symbols at the end that might've caused conflict. If the spell ran off of patterns, it should've ended with a diamond-shaped symbol and one that looked like a sun. Noting this change, she used her magic to push the journal to her right, Twilight then making eye contact with Starlight.
"Ready?" Twilight asked.
Starlight nodded with a confident smile. "Ready."
As before, Starlight's horn was enveloped by a turquoise aura. Seconds later, an array of colorful lights revolved around her, the sight commanding attention and causing Twilight's jaw to drop a bit. The spell's beauty shone through now that she took the time to appreciate it. However, there was a job she needed to do; gawking could wait.
Twilight took a deep breath, activating the slightly modified spell. And in less than a second, electrifying sensations coursed through her body once more. Numbers began swirling in her mind, possibility after possibility being narrowed down until the result made itself known. But something caught Twilight by surprise.
The answer was the same as with Rarity and Rainbow Dash. 10,000 was the lucky number, regardless of who was being surveyed.
"Anything?" Trixie muttered.
Twilight took a deep breath. "It's the same as the previous calculations," she said. At this moment, Starlight ceased casting her spell, a perplexed visage decorating her as she approached Twilight. "It looks like no matter what spell is being used or who is being examined, the results are the same. 10,000 seems to be the constant for how much magical energy exists per pony." As both Trixie and Starlight were completely silent, Twilight cleared her throat and said, "If you're wondering, the spell was designed to make magic quantifiable."
"Okay, now I get what the number is for," Starlight replied. "But all of us having the same result is unexpected." She rubbed her muzzle, head lowered as she tapped the ground with her other hoof. "As cool as it is, this just leads to more questions, namely how a pony's cutie mark plays into this. And how does that explain some ponies casting powerful spells without much trouble?"
"It does leave food for thought." Twilight shrugged, ruffling her wings and smirking sheepishly. "So all ponies have the same levels of magic, at least according to the spell." Her brow rose. "I guess that might explain why we all need magic to survive. So if we have less than that amount, we can't perform tasks as well."
"And it must be the opposite if that number goes up," said Trixie. She tugged her cape, tail swishing about briefly. "Well, since we have our answers, what should we do now? Trixie could show you the most dazzling spells in Equestria, and maybe we'll find out if your theory is correct."
Twilight nodded, her expression calm. "That works for me."
Trixie turned away from the duo, glancing back to make sure they were at a safe distance. She then began firing a variety of spells, starting out with some illusion spells before willing gusts of wind to swirl around her. Twilight cast her spell once more, measuring Trixie's magical energy. And despite the creative use of Trixie's spells making it appear as though she was hovering, among other artistic expressions that demanded attention, Twilight's spell and the equation related to it brought her to the same answer as before: 10,000.
Trixie ceased casting her spells, then donning a confident grin. "Trixie can see the look in your eyes," she teased, waving her hoof. "My spells have been improving exponentially." She glanced over to Starlight, then back to Twilight. "Though I must be frank, I couldn't have gotten here without your help. Even a boastful mare like me has to draw the line somewhere."
"There's no denying that you're a talented magician," said Twilight. She paused, stuffing the journal back in her saddlebag. "However, it looks like both you and Starlight had the same level of magical energy." Twilight hummed briefly, rubbing her muzzle. "Looks like the theory about magical energy being the same for everypony is true. While this does answer one question, it opens up many others."
"Like what this means for the world as a whole?" asked Starlight.
Twilight nodded. "Precisely, which is why more research is needed."
"What plans do you have next?" Trixie added, wearing a puzzled expression. She quickly made her way closer to Twilight.
Twilight rubbed the top of her head. "Probably something about how magic works outside of spells. I think that I'll just need to modify a few aspects of the spell I just used, as the principles should be the same or similar. Whether it'll need something much different, however, is anypony's guess."
While finding out answers about such mysteries excited Twilight, she couldn't help but feel nervous at the same time. Celestia still hadn't reported back from her mission over in the uncharted territories, the third and final day of waiting approaching fast. Focusing just on her studies would only help for so long. But with her friends all ready to help out, Trixie likely joining them if needed, making it through the unknown appeared possible.
Tomorrow was destined to be her longest day yet, regardless of what the future held.