“So tell me again why you are doing this?” Aegis Flare sent an unamused look over at Twilight from where she was sitting in one of the librarians science machines. Twilight was busy fiddling with the controls to the machine while observing the read-outs from it. She looked up to see her friend's annoyed look before grinning sheepishly and clearing her throat.
“Sorry, I thought I mentioned that. This has been something that has been bothering me a while but I've been rather curious about how your magic works and have been wanting to take a few more scans beyond what I already have. I've already had the others down here for some comparisons and I've already discovered a few things I didn't expect. I'm sure that we can learn a lot about your spell blindness and maybe even a way to fix it.” The orange mare rolled her eyes at Twilight's excitement but refrains from mentioning how little she cares about the issue being fixed. Twilight was only just building up steam at that point as she continued talking about her findings.
“My own scans I already knew were far outside of the norm for unicorns, but surprisingly Rarity was showing a few oddities in how it flowed through her body. I still don't have anything sensitive enough to detail earth pony or pegasus magic to the extent I want it to, but what I do have keeps throwing up errors whenever I strap Pinkie Pie in and Applejack would be like any other earth pony if it wasn't for how impressively strong her aura is. Rainbow Dash is much the same, just for a pegasus, but what was really odd was when I finally got Fluttershy to come down here. Her magic flows oddly for a pegasus and much of it focuses in her eyes. I think it may be part of her thestral heritage but I can't find anything on them except for some basic medical journals. In fact I've written to the Canterlot Archives and they don't seem to have anything either to explain it and I'm hoping that I can find answers with your results.” The orange mare wasn't sure if the archives would even have any up-to-date records on thestrals, though the hospital in Canterlot might and the guard healers definitely should.
“I'm surprised that you even got Rainbow Dash, let alone Pinkie, to sit still long enough for you to do the scans. Though I guess you could have put them to sleep by telling them how all your machines work.” Her comment is met with a glare from Twilight before she just sighs.
“Yes, I can see Rainbow Dash doing that, but after her little hospital escapade it's hard to get her to put down the Daring Do books now. But with Pinkie Pie I'm still not sure if she understands or not but then she comes out and says something that gets me thinking. I mean I never thought that-” Aegis Flare only partially toned Twilight out as she started going into more fine detail about her work that Pinkie gave her an idea on as her attention was caught more by her tone of voice and the slightly frantic tone that slowly crept into it. After listening for a few minutes she decided to finally speak up.
“How are you doing lately? After that little adventure into the Everfree you always seemed to be a bit distracted and even frantic at times. You've gotten better since the princess showed up on Nightmare Night, but still...” At her words Twilight stopped in place before she went back to fiddling with the controls to the machine. In her own mind she argued with herself as she tried to decide if she should do or say anything before she finally let out a hefty sigh.
“I'm doing better but it still is hard thinking back on everything that happened that day. It only got worse when I realized that we might have been the only ones that survived. Other than the leader we don't know what happened to most of them except for the ones we subdued.” She paused before she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. “Princess Luna talked to me about it when she came to town that day, though I have to wonder how she found out about it. Every few days she still contacts me through my dreams and we just sit and talk about it and she even has told me of a few things she had experienced over the years and it has helped some. I actually wonder how you seem to deal with all of this so well since nopony other than her and Princess Celestia would have had such extensive experience with the horrors in there.”
Twilight looked over to the orange unicorn curiously, who looked a bit thoughtful for a moment before looking at her scarred forelimb. “My first memory being that of me nearly dieing does help, but I would be lying if I said that there weren't moments that got to me still. The pony that brought me into MEEL was a big help for part of it, but more often than not it was Fluttershy that helped the most.”
Twilight looked disbelieving at the pronouncement of the shyest pony she knew being of any help which caused the orange mare to roll her eyes. “I can see why you underestimate her, I did so for a long time as well, but she really is much stronger than you think. Even with how scared she was you saw what she did with that dragon, let alone Discord. When it's for another she just shuts out all her fears and works to help where she can, and when it comes to animals she knows just about everything about them, including the bloodier sides of the carnivores around her.”
Twilight opened her mouth to respond before she paused in thought for a moment before bringing a hoof to her face. “I can't believe that I forgot about all of that. I guess with how much she tries to hide from, well, everything it is kind of hard to connect the two different images. Huh, it's even harder to connect them while thinking of the look in her eyes. I wonder if it has something to do with her Stare ability.”
With a glance towards Twilight, Aegis Flare just smirks at knowing something her friend didn't. “You do realize that there is a reason that thestrals are constantly shown as vamponies in literature right? As fake as those stories are there is still an element of truth in them that my father says isn't talked about much. With all the similarities to the daylight pegasi, there are still a few differences beyond just their wings. One of them is that a very rare few, usually nobles, have the ability to use a form of eye-based hypnosis. I never did think about it until now, but I'm pretty sure her Stare is based on that ability. It wouldn't surprise me if she was accidentally using it so she doesn't get noticed as much.”
The librarians jaw dropped at this information before she shook her head in bemusement. “That just brings up even more questions and now I'm going to wonder just how many more of these myths and legends are real. I'll have to add that to the list of things to research, maybe Princess Luna can help me out with some of the details about thestrals.” She paused for a moment before her machine let out a series of pinging sounds. “Ah, that should be the scans completing. Let's see what it says now.”
As Twilight looked over the printouts her brow furrowed at the information she found. “This can't be right, it can't be this simple can it?”
Aegis Flare's eyebrow rose as she divested herself of the scanning tools before she moved to look over her friend's shoulder. “What is it? What did your machine find?”
Twilight lifted a hoof and drew it along various points of the printout of her mana pathways. “Other than everything being stronger than average, in fact the strongest I've ever seen but that could be because you never used an outside source, there is nothing wrong with you according to this. All except for this part here.”
She pointed out an empty space in the frontal cranial area before continuing. “This area here is where the Runic Matrix should be located yet as you can see it is completely absent. Also here,” Her hoof drifted downwards a bit to a section that was much denser than the surrounding areas. “Here is where the Arcane Matrix is and is where a unicorn's memories of spells are stored in a way where less commonly used ones are overwritten by more widely used spells. As you can see yours is much larger than it should be and I'd be willing to bet that it is why you can do that water spell even if it is outside of your talent. If that is true then there may be a way to teach you other spells, though it will be limited by complexity. I mean this could-”
The rant that she was getting into was interrupted by a large crashing sound from the room above which caused the two to look upwards. “What is going on up there?”
With a sigh, the half-thestral unicorn rubbed at her temple with a hoof. “That would be the sound of my sister crashing her scooter into one of your bookshelves causing all the books to pile up on top of her and Spike. As much as I'm fine with her taking after Rainbow Dash, this is something that I could do without her copying. I've told her not to use it indoors, but with all the snow on the ground and the excitement of Hearth's Warming and Noaptea Lacrimi coming up she's been a bit more energetic than usual.”
Twilight was about to say something when she paused as she realized she didn't understand part of what her friend had said. “Wait, Noaptea Lacrimi? What is that? It means night of tears, right?” On seeing the look of surprise on her friend's face, Twilight gave a small blush of embarrassment. “I, uh, started researching the language out of curiosity when I learned that you and Fluttershy knew it.”
With a shake of her head and a chuckle, Aegis Flare just rolled her eyes at the purple mare's habits. “Yes, that is what it means, but it's also a thestral holiday that falls on the Winter Solstice. It's... rather an odd holiday in that it combines a bunch of different ideals into one. It started as a remembrance for those lost during the long winters, especially the ones caused by the windigos, but then it added a small feast for the half-way point of winter to honor those lost and celebrate surviving to the half-way point. It also is used to celebrate life and larger families and thestral towns use it as a bit of a fertility festival as well to promote large families, but that bit is heavily optional.”
Twilight listened in interest as she was told about this holiday, though when the last bit was mentioned she blushed after a moment of thought before she coughed lightly. “I never thought about how much thestral traditions would be different from what I've known, but with them being separated for the last thousand years it makes sense. Other than that last part it sounds like something I'd want to see for myself.”
Some would have been annoyed at what seemed like a blatant attempt to get an invitation, but Aegis Flare could tell from the purple mare's tone of voice that it was more rhetorical than her begging for an invite. “You know, that actually is a good idea.” Twilight looked confused as the orange unicorn made her way up the stairs into the library.
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“Darling, how nice of you to invite us to this little soiree of yours, especially with how personal it seems to be for your family.” Rarity nodded to Aegis Flare as she was let into the orange mare's home along with Sweetie Belle and Pinkie Pie.
“I'm so excited! A whole new holiday that I never knew about and it took this long to be invited to it, I can't wait to find out the decorations for it and everything!.” With a shake of her head Aegis Flare lifted a hoof up to halt the overly excited pony.
“Hold on there Pinkie. This really isn't that type of holiday. The most that is used for decorations are the ancestral relics of the family line. It's less a party and more of a small family affair, well except for the fertility rituals but that won't be happening here.” She chuckled at the blushes one the faces of the elder two while the filly just looked at the confused before she shook her head and ran off to find Scootaloo.
After showing the two to where Fluttershy was, who had arrived earlier to help cook, the orange mare had to head back to the door to let the rest of her friends in. “Whoa Nelly. Ya really did a number in here since ah last was here. It's almost like a museum in here now.”
Applejack and the other look around at the various displays that Aegis Flare had set up in the various rooms in the house. While Twilight was looking over a curious cylindrical object with what looked like a blue gem on the tip, Rainbow Dash was looking bored as she browsed through them until she came upon one she didn't expect which caused her wings to flare out in surprise. “What!? How the hay did you get a signed copy of of Daring Do and the Temporal Temple!?”
At her exclamation Twilight moved over to look at the case to see the book and the crown next to it before her own eyes widened as well. “That's not just a signed copy Rainbow. That's a pre-edit, bound edition with a signature, something I've never even heard of, that is only sent out to pre-readers! I've never even seen or heard of something like that, Rainbow stop trying to break into the case, so how could you have gotten one, it would have cost a fortune!?”
While the gaze of the two was locked on the book, Aegis Flare was silently cursing to herself for forgetting she had that out before she sighed and came up with an excuse. “Remember how I told you that usually favors are traded at MEEL? Well the pony that gave that too me needed some very specific information from the Everfree forest and that was sent to me a few months later.”
Twilight stops to think for a few moments before her eyes widen as she realized something. “Wait, I knew some of things in the book were familiar, it was based in the Everfree Forest! You actually know A.K. Yearling! Was Sparky actually based off of you as well?”
Rainbow Dash frowned at the mention of the character before she snorted in disgust. “I never liked her, she just came out of nowhere and there is no way she should have survived through half the stuff that happened in the book before she just disappears. Even that Diamond Dog leader was better than her and you've seen how ineffective they are, as if there would ever be one smart enough to lead them all. Least favorite book so far because of her. That crown is a cool replica of what was described though.”
The orange unicorn shook her head again before she looked in the direction of the kitchen. “It was only the one time and I've never actually met Ms. Yearling or heard from her after that. I can't say more since I made some promises not to. We should join the others now though, the last of the food should be finished and even if she did volunteer I'd rather not have Fluttershy pull everything out.”
Applejack's head shot up and she glared at Aegis Flare for a moment while the rest were distracted. She wasn't sure what it was but something sounded wrong with what her friend said but she couldn't quite place it. Deciding that it didn't matter right now she shook her head and interrupted the others before the conversation could continue. “She is right about that. We all came here for some vittles and ahm sure the others are waiting as well.”
Following the farm mare's advice they all head in as the orange unicorn heads over to help Fluttershy with the final setup. Once they were done the others were invited over to the set table with the prepared food and empty dishes for them to use. Spread before them were a couple piles of fish cabbage rolls, bowls of corn meal with salty cheese and sour cream, vegetable soup, bean paste with mushrooms, baked potatoes and a few other tidbits for the meal while baked pumpkin, crepes with jam and papanash were set to the side for dessert. There was also some apple cider set out along with some plum brandy that Aegis Flare had picked up just for that day.
Once they all served themselves and gathered around the larger table, provided by Applejack, Aegis Flare looked from the fillies and Spike on her left and Fluttershy and the others on her right before clearing her throat to get their attention. The group paused as they were about to start eating, barring Pinkie who had already planted her face into her plate, while she pulled out a covered tray as well as a large cauldron that had been on the nearby fire. “Before we begin I have a couple special items, one you can skip if it disgusts you, as well as some background on the holiday.”
As she uncovered the tray most of the others recoiled in horror at the sight and smell of the smoked sausages that were contained within. Scootaloo rolled her eyes at her three friends before taking one of the of the proffered edibles before passing the tray along. While the two other fillies just passed the tray along Spike curiously grabbed one himself, despite Twilight's glare, and sending it along. Out of the other adults only Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy grabbed a piece, much to the surprise of the others.
Rainbow Dash copied the younger pegasus filly eye roll at the others at their looks. “What? I spent a few years of flight camp rooming with Gilda and she convinced me to try meat before and it wasn't too bad in small amounts. I'm guessing this is from one of those non-thinky animal farms that are around the gryphon kingdoms. I'm wondering why Flutters is taking some though, she never ate any back then and with all her animals I would think she would avoid it.”
When all eyes were turned her way the butter colored pegasus ducked under the table before peeking back over it a moment later. “Um, well, I don't really like eating meat, but it was always a tradition I was raised with so just for today, well.”
Her cousin patted her on the shoulder before she continued with her explanation. “You all know the story told during Hearth's Warming but have you ever noticed that all it mentions are the three common tribes while there is nothing about any of the others?”
Rarity looked thoughtful for a moment before answering for the group. “You know darling, I never did realize it until you mentioned it but where were the thestrals when that all happened?”
The red-maned mare looked sad as she remembered the story that her father had once told to her. “While the three tribes were fighting many of the others were either isolated or driven off by the conflict. Because of that many of them were not prepared for the windigo invasion that chased the tribes away. Not all of the lesser known tribes survived the event and some had to take drastic measures, especially when it came to food. Thestrals had to resort to a more carnivorous diet Which is why it has become a tradition to have a small amount of non-fish meat on this day. Things changed when thestrals came into contact with a small group of earth ponies that were among the last to leave the old lands.”
She reached for the cauldron next to her and removed the lid to reveal the soup in it before she used her magic to remove a large rock from it, and set it on a nearby towel, which reduced the level of soup by over half. On seeing it Twilight's eyebrow rose in surprise while Pinkie's jaw dropped. “Is that what I think it is? After what I remember from the rock farm I'm not sure if I want to try that stuff again.”
Aegis Flare filled a bowl for all the beings present before she set the rest of the soup aside. “You'll find this to be nothing like what you had there Twilight. This stone has has a much longer time to soak up nutrients and grow.”
The purple unicorn looked down as a bowl was set in front of her and she had to admit that it did look different, especially in the rich golden color and the pieces of green beans and carrots in it. Cautiously Twilight lifted her spoon from the bowl to take a sniff before sipping at the spoonful. When the taste hit her her eyes widened in surprise at the richness of the flavor as well as how thick it was compared to what she was expecting. Her eyes were drown towards Pinkie when she let out a whistle of appreciation. “Wowie zowie, I've never seen a soup stone this old before.'d have guess three... no four hundred years old, right Flarie?”
The others enjoyed their meal as the orange unicorn pondered the question for a moment. “Actually that piece is only about fifty but I think the stone it was taken from was over a thousand years old. It was about the only thing my father was allowed to take when he was thrown out by the rest of his family.”
Pinkie eyes grew as she looked wonderingly at the soup stone while the others looked at her curiously. “What is so special about it being that old, Pinkie? Ah, mean sure ah don't think ah've have a soup that tasted this good in years but is it really all that special?”
Pinkie just shook her head to clear it before she poured herself another bowl of the tasty soup and sat down to savor it, which seemed odd for her. “We usually don't sell a soup stone until it reaches five years old and then it is just tasty enough for ponies to buy it. A fifty-year soup stone is something my family can sell for the price of a house and usually only the rich can afford it easily. One this old could easily be used to buy all of Ponyville and still have let a pony live like a princess for years.”
They all were taken aback by the seriousness of the tone in Pinkie's voice but her next act sent a sense of relief through them. “Now enough about that, let me at that dessert now.” The group chuckled at her antics as they joined in on finishing the meal and talking about the upcoming Hearths Warming play they were all invited to take part in.