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The Difference between Magic and Science?

What is the difference between the precise arts of Magic and Science? The metaphysical and biological progression of energy gathering around a Unicorn's horn in order to change the world around them is classified as a form of magic, yet there is a large amount of science behind how such spells are casted and why it works how it does. Yet curses, another form of magic, is regarded as 'fake' magic considering the lack of spells invented as such that has given them such a superstitious nature. My definition is simpler however.

Magic is the process of being capable of altering the world beyond their bodily limits in strange or fantastic, sometimes even mundane, ways. A Pegasus is capable of manipulating clouds with their hooves for example, when there isn't an earth pony or unicorn alive who can do so without the aid of an enchantment or magical field. Likewise the Earth ponies extreme ways of tending with nature and their increased endurance is unmatched compared to the other two primary pony races. These three show the atypical use of magic from an unexplained source that Unicorns have commonly just called 'magical energy'. Which is a paradox onto itself when considering the science methods of measurement that takes place to judge how much of this relatively unknown power source is used in fueling their spells as well as the limits that they can channel. Science in contrast can be seen as the manipulation of other objects you yourself do not have control over.

You are no more able to control what happens when two chemicals mix besides putting them in the same vial for instance. But you learn more about those chemicals every time you experiment with them. Their changes are recordable and can be traced down to the smallest atom in this respect. But Magic in contrast is unknown, no one knows where it comes from or how it came to be. In my belief, the magic is the unexplained, while science... it is the opposite end of the same tree, where magic is the roots, science is the trunk. Inventions and discoveries however, are the branches and leaves that populate it.

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He smiled quietly under his wooden cheeks, the Changeling hadn't run away or been caught from what he had seen. His eyes glowed more tranquil now that the seeds of food was in his turf. He took the bags almost eagerly, an excitement building in him as he felt the familiar presence of something he had not felt in over sixty years within one of the bags. Not only were there an assortment of fruits and vegetables, but the Changeling had even managed to steal a few of the trees that he had spent his free time working on. The magic trees of his own design, the Zap Apple tree in which he had once been taken from his forest would now thrive again in the depths of the Ever Free forest.

Of course his joy was momentarily killed by Chrysalis, drawing him back to the situation at hoof, "So how are seeds supposed to feed us? It would take an entire season to grow them, time which we don't have."

The Caretaker merely smiled once, a look of sheer pride, though if deserved the Queen didn't know, "Let us head to the clearing and plant these seeds, then you'll know."

The Caretaker lead her to the clearing and he began to empty the bag, with his mouth as they trotted through the center they stopped, "I would recommend moving your people to the edge of the clearing for this." The caretaker forewarned untying the bags that held all of the seeds the changelings had collected. All but One, chrysalis noted, the Zap Apple Seeds were still kept in their bags.

A short while later the clearing was cleared leaving Chrysalis and the Caretaker in the middle of the empty clearing with the small pile of seeds. A small wind picked up, and the cool night air caused the changeling to involuntarily shiver before the wooden pony did something surprising. He kicked the pile.

Seeds scattered in all directions, some picked up by the wind and it changed, he kicked he pile again and again, launching the small things into the air and scattering them across the field. "What was the point of that?" Chrysalis asked, both surprised and angry at the sudden vandalism of the small seeds that were now scattered across the field.

"Prep work." The caretaker responded, "Now comes the fun and exhausting part."

"What do you mea-" Chrysalis began but silenced herself as she saw the Caretakers eyes.

They were glowing a solid bright yellow. Lanterns in comparison as they glowed and the smile turned into a frown of concentration. For a few seconds nothing seemed to happen but then Chrysalis spotted through one of her drones something on the very edge. A seed Sprouting. followed by another, and another. Soon the clearing was full of small plants, the trees growed in what would normally of taken years within minutes and fruits and vegetable plants began to sprout and ripen as the plants grew larger and bigger. The trees, while smaller than a full grown trees seemed to stop, and the Caretakers light faltered for a moment. Everything stopped, several of the smaller plants had blossomed, root plants like carrots and potatoes were already full grown while the shrubs were almost ripe.

It wasn't a complete harvest but it was a lot better than before. Chrysalis disbelief was momentarily replaced by surprise however when their Caretaker faltered, his eyes no longer glowing and collapsing down onto his legs in a sitting position, his head drooping slightly.

"Everything alright?" Chrysalis asked, not out of concern, though. She thought not, only a measure for this creatures power.

"Just... A bit drained..." the caretaker responded taking in a deep breath.

Chrysalis rose an eyebrow, watching the wooden pony before her gather up his concentration and stand again, "What was that anyway?"

"A magician never reveals his secrets," the Caretaker's reply was almost instantaneous, but then he gave a grin, "But I'm not one of those so I guess it couldn't hurt to say that I... Accelerated the growth to take up several months, and in the tree's case, several years, within the span of a few seconds... Understandably that is very taxing..."

"An aging spell?" Chrysalis asked, her eyes widening in shock. Aging spells were unicorn magic that took an extremely large amount of concentration and energy just to transmute one target, let alone hundreds of seeds. Such a feat would be unheard of since Starswirl the bearded.

The Caretaker chuckled at the remark, "No, nothing as extreme as that, just some good old fashion earth magic."

"Strongest earth pony magic we've ever seen." Chrysalis remarked, it was a bit more believable, though she had only heard of and seen earth pony magic working in more passive ways... Nothing this extreme... But when you're a love sucking parasite that strives on stealth and deception, you see a few strange things. Even if it is only second hand from another changeling's memory, "Anything else I should know about you?"

The Caretaker paused, before shrugging and beginning to trot away from her, "Not that I can think of this moment, also, harvest the root plants tonight, bushes tomorrow, and trees the day after then repeat if you'll excuse me, i'll be checking on the rest of the forest."

Chrysalis watched as the wooden pony walked into a tree and vanished, no sign beyond a small colored patch of wood upon the apple tree. She smiled to herself in glee, if one were to imagine a bulb, it would of lit up brighter than celestia's Sun. Oh, my... Such a prospect we have here... A plan was formed. But first thing first, "Subjects... it's time to harvest." she told her awaiting hive members.

Maybe all was not lost or doomed after all. Not only were they fed, and had a place, albeit barren and outdoors, to stay. But now they were sitting on potentially the largest source of power since the Alicorn princesses.

Now only to harness this Caretaker's might to her own ends...

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The Caretaker was amused. The sight of childish disbelief in the tall mare's eyes was a humorous one to say the least. though it did leave him with the largest pain in the metaphorical neck growing all of those plants. Growing plants required as much energy as it would of taken for those plants to grow on their own over the course of time. Sudden growth however in an instant tended to take massive reserves of energy for him to mold, and had reduced the forest by half a days growth in order to expand an entire clearing worth of already made seeds.

Understandably he had tried to make a bypass for that, seeds that would grow on their own once planted during a special time of the year... Why was it special... He shrugged and moved his prized seeds with him to his home. The home of which was the largest tree in the forest, a Tree who's roots stretched far and wide underneath the ground but could never surface. The roots were like a nervous system for the forest, it dictated the flow and control throughout the entire area but never showed up lest they were hurt. If a pony were to dig down deep enough one would find roots miles down where resources and minerals were collected to feed the massive tree that reigned over the Everfree Forest.

His expression softened as he emptied the small bag of Zap Apple seeds that his guests had recovered. Hundreds of years worth of biological and magical experimentation was back in his hooves and now he could progress. Mentally he sorted through the distribution of resources throughout the forest as he began to experiment with his seeds, each one captured in a radiant green light that infused the room in it's glow as each seed was magnified in size and began to float in front of the pony, years seemed to roll off him as he prodded the sides of each seed, abandoning all but one, the rest were impure due to the years of genetic infusing with apple trees. But one at least had managed to remain pure undiluted Zap Apple.

He needed to be closer, he shrank until he was smaller than a breadcrumb and snuck between the cracks of the seed's surface, working his way in until he could progress no further. The glow around the seed became more intense as he abandoned what remained of his body and fused with the seed in order to reach it's core. The chaos of jumbled DNA and enlarged cells that made up the giant seed's entirety. Minutes rolled by into hours as the Caretaker extracted each and every bit of information he could out of the seed and began to change it, The first thing to go was the apple itself, an unnecessary byproduct of magical fluxuation and using an Apple tree as a base for it's ability to spread through other animals.

He wouldn't need to spread this through animals this time, considering the last time the seed did it was all taken from him and the current tree had died shortly after harvest. Tirelessly he worked, a goal in mind, a beautiful perfect plant that would remain standing against any weather, and shock those who had tried to harm it. It would produce seeds once a year in order to spread at his discretion and still be compatible with the rest of the forest.

But it wouldn't just be a normal undecorated tree... It would bloom flowers of the deepest blue, they would glow ever so softly to show their presence as though the night time stars had blanketed the ground as well as the sky. Their fragrance would smell ever so lightly of a cinnamon and candy cane, a favorite of somepony he knew long ago. Who was it that set his heart down and that made him try and grow towards the mountain sided castle from so long ago. He knew not... only a tidbit here and there. A chirp interrupted him, "Ah miss. Summer Song, is it morning already?" The Caretakers voice reverberated throughout the room.

A bluebird had flown in, one of the Caretakers constant companions throughout the years. While not the same bird from so long ago, he knew it was descended from his first friend. He posed a branch out of place in this room just for that bird, who's ancestor had originally perched on it to watch him work. This same branch this younger bird now perched on, chirping away in a garbled sing song voice he knew very well, "Your singing has gotten better I see."

Summer chirped in agreement, drawing a deeper relaxed chuckle out of the Caretaker, "Right, maybe someday i'll meet your teacher, you did say she wanted to be a tree right? Heh... Only if she knew." he chuckled, the sound a mixture between his normal voice and the sound of wood groaning as though a heavy weight was lifted from it, "So what news do you bring here today my little bird?"

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