Once Upon A Chanted

by Zaarlika

-2:Counterpart Protege-

Once Upon A Chanted
-2:Counterpart Protege-
Chanted woke up slowly, in the comfort of the guest room bed. She still had no idea why Princess Luna had invited her to Canterlot, but she had forgotten entirely about confronting either of the Princesses. Slowly hauling herself out of bed, she realised it was still early morning, and decided to look around the little suite she had. Opening the door opposite the exit, she found a moderately-sized bathroom. Immediately reacting, she took the first shower she could ever remember having. Once she had cleaned out the bits of dirt and dust from her coat and mane, and dried herself out once leaving the warm shower, her slightly grimy, darkened coat was replaced with its...vaguely glorious purple with a hint of blue, her dark purple mane with its two twirled ribbon parts hanging down either side of her face. She walked back over, poking her head out the window and looking around. She had almost forgotten she was in Canterlot. Looking either side, she saw a small ledge near the far window. Pulling her head back and walking to said window, she saw it was just wide enough to walk along, and she could likely climb onto it. Before she had a chance to try, the door opened.
"Ma'am? Princess Luna has requested your presence." The guard stood, holding the door open. Walking over, she stepped outside, the guard closing the door.

Chanted began to wonder how anypony avoided getting lost in the Palace, it was almost a city in its own right. Eventually, the guard stopped by a door and opened it, revealing a darkened room fairly similar to hers, just a little larger. Inside sat Princess Luna, absentmindedly staring out the window.
"Princess Luna, Chanted Star." Was all the guard said before leaving. The Princess of the Night did not turn from the window.
"Ah, hello Chanted Star."
"Uh, hello, Princess."
"Please, just call Us Luna."
"Of course, Luna." Chanted looked around. There was a long pause.
"Did you need me for something?" Chanted asked.
"Not need, no. We wish to test your abilities, and see if We can get thine magic under some control."
"You can try." Chanted chuckled. Luna finally turned to look at her, with a smile.
"Indeed We can. Thou hast cleaned thyself today?"
"Yeah, I did."
"Good. First, We would like to show you something." Luna stood up, walking to a chest of drawers. Opening one, she drew a book, setting it down on the bed, which depicted numerous constellations.
"What is this for?" Chanted asked.
"Take a look for yourself." Luna gestured. Chanted opened the book. It contained some information, and vague instructions or incantations for various spells. A spell book, essentially.
"Right. What is this for?"
"Some find it easier to perform magic effectively if read from a book."
"Aaaare you giving this to me?"
"No, this is quite advanced magic, the kind Our friend Twilight Sparkle would read. We do not wish to push thou that hard." Luna smiled.
"Do I get one, though?"
"Yes, but later." Luna moved the book to one side, but kept it open. Her horn lighting up, she rearranged the room in moments. Chanted stumbled and fell, narrowly avoiding a chair. Luna laughed and, using the magic more, pulled her to her hooves.
"Now, for book magic." Luna lifted the book and flicked the pages, stopping and reading one, her horn still lit up. In a flash, everything was back in its rightful place.
"Some find it easier because it requires less memory." Luna shrugged.
"How is this meant to get my horn under control?"
"We suspected thou may struggle because thou lack the real knowledge to perform magic correctly."
"Sooo...?" Chanted started. Luna opened the drawer again, and once more using magic, lifted out another, smaller spell book, handing it to Chanted.
"This one belongs to thee now."
"Uh, thank you." Chanted bowed.
"Come. We shall test." Luna gestured. Holding the book carefully, Chanted followed.

Luna took her once again to the courtyard, once more telling a guard to set it up, how, she didn't know.
"So, just book magic, or?..."
"Yes. We do not wish to cause damage."
"Fair enough." After about 10 minutes the guards had finished. It was similar to the black tent from the previous day, but longer, like a maze.
"We would like you to try light magic again. There is a spell on Page 68 titled 'Recon Bulb'. Try it." Luna gestured. Cautiously, Chanted walked over and lifted the thick black canvas, ducking inside. It was almost complete black inside, there was no way she was navigating through here. Opening the book, she carefully flicked it to a page 68. Indeed, there was a spell titled 'Recon Light'. Beneath it was a short description and some nonsensical garble.
"Do I read the weird words?" She called.
"Yes. Read them carefully, and focus." Luna called back. Focusing as hard as she could, she read them aloud. Indeed, it was actual jibberish.
"Uuuuh...Navius Optius?" Chanted muttered. Her horn lit up. Focusing, Chanted closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. Her horn sparked, and for a moment bolts of magic fired off on various directions, and Chanted was sure it was going to end in disaster, but then a small, if odd-looking, ball of light ejected from her horn. Looking up, Chanted saw it slowly glide down her line of sight. She followed it, slowly, as it came to a corner. The ball stopped for a moment before returning. It traveled back and forth between her and the first surface it reached, she realised. Walking up and turning the corner, it started heading down, after a distance opening into a crossroads of sorts. She followed, gaining confidence. She could do magic, after all!
"Thou are doing well! Continue!" Luna called. Smiling, Chanted continued. The path straight ahead immediately turned a corner, so she didn't trust that. The one on the right turned too soon as well, so she went into the left path, using her Recon Light to guide her. However, as her confidence slowly became bravado, the light wavered. She immediately stopped. Oh hell.

Chanted began to back off, but the light was returning, wavering more and more and turning a dull red. She panicked. Before she could react, the light span and lost shape, turning into a growing ball of fire and dissipating in a bang, setting the black canvas alight. Before she could get any distance the poles toppled, trapping her under hot canvas, the fire racing towards her. She thought she was going to burn to death, before the canvas flung off her, the flames just barely licking the underside of her hooves.
"Thou did not think We would let thou die?" Luna asked, lifting her up and setting her down behind her. Her horn didn't die down, her magic now encasing the flames in blue magic. In a moment they died down and vanished.
"Come, We think that was enough for today. We need to clear up an issue with Our sister." Luna gestured for her to follow. Chanted picked up her book and followed obediently. No way was she going near black canvas tents again.

Luna led her through the Palace, the first time she had led her anywhere but a guest room or the courtyard. Eventually she came out into a room she imagined the Princesses used to talk with subjects. Celestia was talking to a pony with some papers and a pair of glasses. Celestia was talking to the stallion, what she was saying, Chanted paid no attention to. She was busy flicking through the book, seeing what kind of spells were in here.
"Sister?" Luna called. For a moment, it seemed as if she was ignoring her, but Celestia stopped, waved off the pony, and turned.
"Ah, hello my sister. I see you have brought your...friend as well." Celestia greeted, giving Chanted a look. She shut the book, looking up.
"Indeed We have. We need to clarify one issue with you."
"Of course. What issue is it?"
"Twilight Sparkle is your apprentice, yes?"
"Yes?"
"We would like to make Chanted Star ours." At this, Celestia and Chanted raised an eyebrow. Or their equivalent.
"Her? Why?" Celestia asked.
"She is of interest, and displays magical talent. Her magical instability may prove an interesting challenge."
"Well...if you wish to make her so, make her so, it is not my decision."
"We merely wished to make sure our sister was happy with the decision."
"Of course." After a short moment, the door to the room opened and a purple unicorn like her. Unlike Chanted, she had no blue in her pelt, and her mane was a darker purple, brushed to curl around her neck.
"Hello, Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!" The made greeted, not noticing Chanted.
"Ah, hello Twilight, I almost forgot. Please, I will be with you in a moment." Celestia smiled. Twilight nodded, before finally noticing Chanted.
"Hello! I'm Twilight, who are you?"
"Chanted. Chanted Star." Chanted smiled.
"Ah, yes. Twilight, Chanted Star is Luna's new apprentice."
"Oh, wonderful! I'm sure we will be seeing more of each other."
"I look forward to it." Chanted smiled before Twilight headed through the opposite door Chanted and Luna had passed through.
"So, it is decided?" Luna asked.
"Indeed. Chanted, from here on you are now Luna's apprentice. Do you have a residence anywhere?"
"Nope."
"Ah, I see. Well, I will let Luna solve that matter. I have some things to attend to
Have fun!" Celestia called, following her pupil.
"Well, it is decided!" Luna grinned, looking at Chanted. Chanted merely smiled in response.
"Will we do anything else today?"
"Nothing as hazardous as that last test. Come." Luna gestured. Chanted hadn't been as happy as she was in...well, forever! She had gone from a homeless unicorn who refused to use magic to Luna's own protege in two days. Today was a good day.