Time and Masks

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

Starting to Get the Routine

Dinky entered her room and set her saddle bags down by her desk. The young filly walked over to her bed, the flopped against it with a sigh. She closed her eyes, and immediately opened them back up at the sound of the knock on a door.

"It's open," she called out, not moving. Her ears shifted to listen as the door opened, followed by the steps of hooves entering.

"Hello Princess Celestia," the unicorn filly said.

"Hello Dinky," the princess replied. "How do you feel now that you have completed your first week of classes?"

"Exhausted," Dinky let out a groan, rolling over onto her back. "First the regular classes, which are a lot harder than the classes I had back in Ponyville. Then I have to go through tutoring to catch up on what I've missed and am supposed to know already, so it's like I'm learning everything backwards. After that, there's additional teaching and magical training back here as your personal student. It's all a lot more work than I'm used to."

"Well you seem to be doing quite well in the lessons I have observed." Celestia walked over and gave the worn out filly a gentle nuzzle. "Do not worry, my student. The school tutorial will end shortly and while the lessons will always be challenging, the routine of your education will become familiar until things seem easier. Our own lesson will begin shortly, but first I thought I would make formal introductions."

Dinky looked at Celestia who was turning to look back at the door. The filly moved to look as well. Her eyes went wide as the form of a dark blue alicorn stepped forward, entering the room.

"Dinky Hooves," Celestia said, "this is my sister, Princess Luna. Luna, this is my new student, Dinky Hooves."

Dinky quickly hopped off the bed and onto the floor, taking a step forward. The filly gave a bow.

"Greetings Princess Luna." She looked up slightly. "It's nice to see you again."

"Celestia told us you were a resident of Ponyville," Luna stated, "I assume from your statement that you were among the fillies I met at Nightmare Night."

"Yes ma'am." Dinky moved to straighten up, no longer bowing. "I was a firefighter."

"'tis a noble profession. Celestia says that you are capable of using an ancient type of magic. She has consented to allow me to observe your lesson if you have no objections."

"I don't mind."

"Wonderful," Celestia spoke up, "Then we shall all meet in the classroom after supper." With that, the princesses left.

Dinky watched them go a moment, then a thought crossed her mind. It was still quite a ways away, but Nightmare Night was coming up again. It would also be her first holiday in Canterlot. She should probably start planning for it. She was going to need a really good costume. There actually was one she had in mind already, but it may not be as effective away from Ponyville. On the other hoof, it was unlikely that anyone else would have a similar costume, so she would certainly stick out. Maybe some of the other fillies would ask about it and they could talk more.

Quickly, she moved to the desk. The filly grabbed a sheet of paper and a quill. Although she was starting to learn how to work one with her horn, she still preferred to write by hoof. She listened to the scratching of the tip on the sheet as she wrote, trying to keep the text as legible as possible. Finished, she set it in an envelope, addressed it, and set it aside to mail.

Dinky grabbed another sheet and checked to make sure she had enough ink still. The filly then started writing a second letter, this time to her mother. She had written one the day after she had been selected to be Celestia's student, telling Derpy about the test and everything. For now, the filly was writing to tell about the week she had been going through and how her lessons were going. She also included how much she missed everyone and a request to spread her well-wishes. Finished, she gave it a kiss before putting it in the envelope and addressing it. Finished, she went to get supper.

When the meal was finished and cleared, Dinky went to the room where she had been getting lessons from the princess directly. As usual, there were two guards at the door, giving her a salute as she arrived before letting her pass without issue.

"Good evening," Dinky said as she walked past. She was aware they would not respond since the two were on duty. Still, she thought that there was a slight hint of a smile on the lips of one of them. Entering she saw Princess Celestia and Luna off to one side. On the other was a white unicorn mare with silvery mane, tail, and -- strangest of all -- horn. Surrounding the mare were ... toy balls?

"What?" the filly blurted out, looking around.

"You have learned quite well to use your magic to levitate objects basically," Celestia explained, "This lesson will seem odd, but it is partially to help you to control your powers. It is an attempt at something of a variation on what you did with your first power surge and during your test."

"You want me to freeze the balls in mid-air?" Dinky asked. She looked at the two a moment, the turned to look back at the balls.

"Not exactly," Celestia continued, "Instead of trying to stop the movement fully or freeze them, you are to slow them down and set them on the floor gently. If effective, the ball shall stay where it has been set. If not, it will bounce. This will let us see how well the attempt goes with some ease."

The filly looked a moment longer and thought about this. She gave a slow nod as she seemed to grasp the main concept of it all. Adjusting her footing, she leaned forward, pointing her horn toward the adult unicorn and the bounce-able toys.

"You may begin when you are ready, Lady Silverhorn," Celestia called out. After a quick nod to the princesses, she turned her attention to the balls. A silver glow encompassed the mare's horn then one of the waiting balls. It floated up into the air then flew toward Dinky without any further magical aid.

Dinky watched and tried to stop it. The first ball landed beside her, bouncing past with no interference. She let out a small noise of frustration and prepared for the next one. Her horn began to glow with it's dark blue energy and a faint ticking filled the air. As the next ball flew up, she managed to wrap an energy field around it. Unfortunately, the momentum caused the ball to slip out and continue until it too bounced.

This was starting to be harder than the filly had expected. Although, having never done any thing such as this before, she was not sure what it was she should have expected. Taking a deep breath, she got ready again. As another ball was tossed, she managed to wrap it in her magical aura. She managed to stop it in mid-air, but the excitement caused her to loose focus and let it fall straight down to the floor.

There was a hint of disappointment at the drop, but pride that she actually managed to catch it for a moment. She narrowed her eyes and tried to concentrate more. As another ball was tossed, Dinky managed to grab it with her magic. The filly's horn grew brighter as she tried to stop it. Trying to set it down, she felt resistance.

"Uh-oh." Dinky released her magic from the ball, finding it still suspended in the air. Reaching out she pressed her hoof against it and found that she could still move it. As soon as she pulled away, the ball stayed exactly where she had pushed it. While she looked at the suspended ball, Lady Silverhorn collected the ones which had been used so far.

"We were aware of this possiblity," Celestia explained, "As with Diamond Tiara and the hourglass, it should resume on its own. In the meantime, please continue."

Dinky looked at them a moment then back to Lady Silverhorn and the balls. The filly took a deep breath and started to call up her magic once again. Once again the balls started to be thrown one by one. and Dinky tried to catch them. It took more than a dozen attempts to manage to stop the ball and set it down gently. As she worked, it turned out the Celestia had been correct. After a while, the ball which had been frozen in time had eventually resumed flying through the air and bouncing from where it had last been left behind.

Finally, Princess Celestia called an end to the training. It actually felt like a relief to the filly. She did not know how much magic she had, but she felt worn out by the time they were finished. It did not become apparent how badly worn out until she tried to walk up the steps to the door, and slipped.

"It seems your student has over-exerted herself," Luna said. Using her magic, the smaller princess picked up the exhausted filly, setting Dinky across her back. "I shall return her to her quarters. You should go and rest as well."

Dinky fell asleep before they even left the room.

Comments

[Boldish42]

Dinky will make an AWESOME alicorn of time and space. this is what i believe will happen and if it doesn't i believe you will have written it that way to spite me. anyway, i'm enjoying this quite alot. very few things wrong too, just a missing or misplaced word here or there but otherwise i feet your pacing and structure have been good so far. please more.

[HB_DS2013]

I have a strange feeling Dinky will take after Doctor Whooves.

[LaBirdie]

DYNAMITE