Wisp

by rockyrobben

The Power of Majestic Light

Magic stood over the broken form of the butler in the large hospital bed. His hoof, wrapped in a cast, hung awkwardly from a rope tethered to the ceiling. A neck brace held his spine straight -- which looked really uncomfortable. His clothes had been cut off and an algae green apron wrapped awkwardly around him, exposing the burns that marred his coat and blistered his skin. There was an odour of singed fur and antiseptic cream that irritated the back of Magic's throat. His breath was weak and sickly, but the doctors had reassured Prince Blueblood--who was sitting in the guest seat-- that he was stable.

"Bah," cried the unicorn as the newspaper parted in a shower of pages and making Magic jump. "This is sooo dull. How do grownups even read this?" He wandered over to the butler and poked him in the side. Magic's eyes grew wide as she went to grab the young colt's hooves, but naturally hers just passed right through.

The butler did not respond. Blueblood snorted and paced around the bed. "Come on! How long does a drug induced coma take?"

Magic growled. Do you know what that even is? Hang on, how did she know that? How much was her mind still hiding from her?

Blueblood walked to the bed side table and took a long swig out of the cup of water that had been left for the old unicorn. Magic just glared at him. How could a pony be so stupidly selfish?

Magic sighed. She was one to talk...

She looked down upon the face of the butler; his wrinkled face creased up in a permanent contortion of pain. This is my doing. I...I can't let any pony go through this again.

"Why can't you wake up?" cried Blueblood, as if the sudden noise would startle him awake. Magic realised just how small and frail this colt was. "I need you to agree with me that I saw a face in the sky. No-pony believes me."

Magic's ears perked up. He saw me. She did not know whether to feel horrified or overjoyed. She could interact with this world! She could be seen, acknowledged and appreciated!

But he saw me as the storm.

The dream fell apart once more, leaving a burning hole where her soul once lived. She could not let herself become that again. She put a hoof on the butler's hoof, hoping the gesture would alleviate the gloom that haunted her. She wanted to protect, but could only destroy.

She gazed into the face of the aged pony. If it would protect her ponies, she would hurl herself back to the void and wander in the nothingness forevermore. But she could not just accept that fate. There must be ways she could help this world, not hinder it. There just had to be...

She needed to see the princess. Did she use me up to protect her kind from me? Maybe she could find a way to apologise, and make it up to her.

She nodded to herself; it was better than doing nothing. With one last glance at her victim, she walked through the wall of the hospital and out into the busy skyline of Canterlot.

The city was unlike anything she had ever seen. It was just past noon, and folk were travelling en masse, clogging up the cobbled streets. There seemed to be an air of confusion in the colourful mob. Whether it was from the earthquake or the mysterious, but distant, fireworks display, gossip had spread about Princess Celestia's sudden flight from the castle, followed by most of the Royal Guard. Rumours though, did not stray too far into the truth, and Magic heard magical storm as if it were a ludicrous speculation.

Her mood lifted as she marvelled at the power drawn from the Well to support the city. Rocks practically dripped with wisps, increasing their sturdiness and durability. It was probably the only reason why the great towers of the castle were still structurally sound.

Cracks spread around the bases of the smaller homes like ivy. Bending the column had had an effect on the city then. Another stab of guilt threatened to overwhelm her. Just how many lives have I affected? Just how much blood is on my hooves?

She passed through a unicorn's power line, then another, then another. Lines, so thin that she could barely see them, stretched back and forth in a tangled mess of colour that pulsed dimly as they sucked wisps from the well for their oblivious owners. All the lines found their way to the mountain, but their paths were by no means straight. There must have been hundreds, nay thousands of unicorns living here. Trying to dodge them was impossible; they were so numerous that they would have blocked her vision had they not been as inconsequential as the wisps themselves. She was just glad that they did not seem to find her as a viable alternative source of power.

She actually smiled when her focus allowed her to see them. Every line reflected their owner's aura, which meant she could see more colours than a rainbow. It gave the city of white, polished marble and clean, cobbled stones some much needed colour. Somehow, she preferred it that way.

It was a shame ponies could not see this. It almost made her feel like the lucky one. Almost.

She sky-trotted along a particular clump that headed toward the castle. That was strange. The lines tended to follow a random pattern, but these followed each other, making a snaking rainbow. The colours contrasted yet mingled with each other at the same time. Whatever it was, there were many ponies in one place, and she wanted to see what they were doing before she tried to make contact with the Princess.

---

She passed through a wall in one of the higher towers in the castle. Suddenly, she was in a huge room, where a young purple filly trotted out before a group of bored looking ponies. filly trembled under the collective glare of the audience. She tried speaking but she gagged on her words. She desperately glanced to two ponies hidden by the side --her parents, Magic assumed-- who encouraged her by pointing at their overly dramatic attempts at smiling.

The filly looked just like Blueblood when he realised Fine Blood was missing. Was this her fault too? Magic felt responsible, even though her rational side gave many excuses as to why it could not have been her.

You're making her scared! shouted Magic at the judging audience. But, of course, they did not hear.

A tan pony with a cherry cutie mark wheeled in a dragon egg. He seemed to have a smug air of superiority and did not try to hide his contempt for doing such a job.

"Well, Miss Sparkle," said a yellow pony with a frizzy grey mane, whose gaze matched the shape of her half moon spectacles perfectly. Magic bristled. They were doing this on purpose! How could a pony be so cruel to a foal?

Why don't I ask myself that?

She growled. I made a bad decision, but I will not make that mistake again! I will do everything in my power to help, not hinder. I have to do better. I have to be better. And being better started by helping this foal.

Miss Sparkle gave an inquisitive glance at the dragon egg, but, by the way fresh sweat was coating the violet stripe down her otherwise blue mane, desperation had set in. She laughed nervously, causing the judges to scribble on their clipboards. Magic floated over to their side and saw them jotting a big red cross across her portrait.

Magic bristled, condensing her form. How dare they judge her because she's scared! She could break them long before the Princess's intervention; the closed space would make it almost too easy.

No! They are not my enemy. Think of the butler. She watched the filly point her horn at the egg. Miss Sparkle tried her hardest, and Magic's heart went out to her, but she could see the weakness within that milky line connecting her to the Well. Only a few wisps reached her, resulting in a few meagre sparks to erupt from her horn. This filly would be lucky to levitate a feather.

She was really trembling now. She tried every posture imaginable, all the while encouraging the line to thicken; but it did not.

"We don't have all day!" cried the spectacled mare.

Oh now you're being cruel for the sake of being cruel! Magic placed her hoof on the filly's back, and tried to will some of her energy into the unicorn. She could make a pegasus fly and a Earth pony grow a flower, why not help a unicorn to crack an egg? At least, this way, Magic controlled how much of her went.

But the unicorn was not receptive to her gift. It was like trying to press something through a hole that just was not there. What else can I do? I want to help! but I can't. All I can do is hurt her!

She pushed herself into the filly, making her body fill out hers, but still the unicorn would not accept. Please! I want to make this right!

"I'm sorry I wasted your time." The voice of Miss Sparkle, who sat staring at the ground, echoed around the room. Her shoulders hung in disappointment, and Magic saw her breaking inside. No, don't give up! Please don't give up!

Magic hugged the pony, but the gesture went unnoticed. It made so much sense now. They had never been her ponies; she was theirs and always had been. She desperately needed, craved to see a smile of her creation find its way onto a pony's face. That was her calling. And she was failing...again.

Magic tried repeatedly to imbue herself into the pony. She wailed as she saw the tears drip from Miss Sparkle's eyes. Take my life! Take it. You're more worthy of it than I! I don't want to fail you like I failed the Princess!

BOOM!

Magic swivelled to see a huge blast of pure colour consuming the sky outside. The sheer intensity made the violet pattern in the blue look bleak and oppressive. Its force sent wisp and pony alike tumbling out of its way.

It was undoubtedly the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

The colours were so pure, so clear that if it were a fine wine, it would have been hailed as the greatest beverage to grace pony-kind, and tales of its pleasant sweetness would have found its way into legend. Her heart lodged in her throat as she picked out every single colour from within the rainbow and measured it against its counterparts, noting how each one seemed to be perfect in its own way. She felt the weight of guilt lift from her shoulders as it seemed to call to her and say that everything was ok; every-pony made mistakes. She realised that beauty was all around her.

For a brief moment, it was as if everything would be okay in the world. For a brief moment, she did not feel so alone.

The surging disk-like rainbow passed, dragging all the clouds with it, leaving a perfectly clear sky. Even at its brightest hue, the sky looked dull compared to what passed a moment before. But, she did not mind, for a huge smile had found its way on her muzzle.

She felt as if she was shrinking. Magic turned to saw the weak, milky line from Miss Sparkle sticking out of her chest, stealing the wisps and turning it purple. The line grew in thickness, surpassing that of any unicorn's line a thousand-fold.

Miss Sparkle sent a wave of force at the egg shattering it with unnerving precision. Magic recoiled as shrapnel struck her body. But, when she dared look at the inevitable mess, she saw the purple aura gently holding a baby dragon in place.

From this distance, she could see the control the magic had over the creature. One slip, one tiny errant thought, would send that creature to oblivion. But it did not, because ponies could do something with magic that she never could: control it. Sure Magic could wield it, direct it, and compress it until it reacts, but she could not make it do anything with such precision. It was a marvel. Her power was not being used for a frivolous task. It was being used to preserve a life. This was what magic was for.

Helping and protecting.

Another surge hit Miss Sparkle as the line drew in more of Magic's wisps. Her horn shone with a bright violet light as a white haze of concentrated magical power enveloped her eyes.

Magic's ears drooped as her eyes widened. What's she doing? Magic tried to cut the line, but it felt like trying to cut off part of herself. She struggled against her tether but she lost her hooves to it, and was forced back into a mist.

This pony was going super-critical! Magical power escaped Miss Sparkle's horn and fired indiscriminately. The judges thrashed against powerful telekinesis, her parents were turned into cacti, and the baby dragon had grown so large that it head butted its way through the ceiling!

Miss Sparkle kept firing her magic, and Magic noted her dwindling form. Even though she had wanted this earlier, she could not help but cling to panic. It's happening again! I'm going to be used up! Tears dripped from her cheeks as the end crept up on her.

Suddenly, the suction stopped and Magic felt the energised air rejuvenate her losses-- the Well quickly providing the rest. She sat next to the filly, her eyes darting at her reformed hooves, making sure they were still there. She studied the tether and realised that she was not scared. Somehow, the link to this pony was not a leash or a brand, but an opportunity. Somewhere deep within, she knew this was the right thing to do. And, for once, her body seemed to agree.

Magic followed Miss Sparkle's brainless gaze and her jaw fell. Standing before her was Princess Celestia. She had a warm smile and a look of fascination and wonderment.

"Twilight Sparkle," said the princess.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean I..."

"You have a very special gift." Princess Celestia seemed to look up from the filly, for just one moment, but it was very much in her direction. She sees me! Magic looked harder. Celestia's attention was off a couple of hoof span's to Magic's left. No, she can't see me. But she can feel me. I can feel her too...she's different. Something...powerful sparkled above the princess. As she squinted, a huge golden cord shimmered into existence, rising from the alicorn and into the heavens. That cord was the one that came from the orb in the sky. That meant she was no mere pony; she was the champion of the sun!

The conversation died around Magic as the final memory returned to her. She remembered fighting Nightmare Moon above the Castle of the Two Sisters. She remembered giving everything up for the Sister of White and Gold to try to save the Sister of Blue and Silver.

But something went wrong. Her fellow elements had fallen silent as they faded into Celestia, waiting to be used. And Magic made one decision.

Banishment.

Harmony was about taking all sides and making them work. It was her job to take the bad with the good, so how could one destroy the corruption and keep the sister? The world needed order, structure and balance. If she went against it, the laws would become fallible. And if the laws became fallible, then they could fail. Magic knew what the Laws of Harmony held at bay, and so she went against her guardian, choosing harmony over what was right.

It was a bad decision.

Magic stood guard over Celestia as she cried in her chambers for months afterwards. How was Celestia's pain in keeping with harmony? Her elements...her friends had fallen into the void as a sign of their grief. The entire kingdom dragged its hooves, as if it too felt Celestia's loss. Misery engulfed the land, crushing the laughter and the smiles within its gloom.

Ashamed, alone and feeling unworthy, she had struck herself from the grieving princess and faded into the void, wishing to never make a decision ever again.

Self exile...this was what this was. Magic had banished herself to hide from her mistakes. She looked over at the bouncing filly with a smile on her face. She was going to hide no more. She was no longer a slave to her fears. She may get irritated at her world and may scream at the ponies' ignorance, but she knew she had the power to fix everything. If she had come back, then the other elements had too. She was not alone!

So what if I can't touch ponies? In a few years time I can fix the nightmare, and with that, the world!

Suddenly, Magic understood. Her destiny was to make sure the ponies could vanquish any obstacle. And to accomplish that, she needed her own champion.

Magic floated over to her new charge. The small filly beamed with joy as she bounced around her new teacher screaming, "yes, yes, yes, yes..." A mark on her flank, a violet starburst, stopped Magic in her tracks. She knew what that was. It was a wisp, caught in a snapshot of time, its speed unable to mask its true form.

Just like the wisp, it was time for her to step up and show her true form. She was no mere spirit driven by petty jealousy or spite. She was not an entity that danced in the wind and admired the colours. Magic smiled. She was a font of energy for the pony that would save the world.

She was the Element of Magic.

Comments

[blue_pancake]

Wooooo. Credits :P And you know i shall say it one more time.. Don't Panic (In large, friendly letters)

[rockyrobben]

4851884

=)

[The Great Derpsby]

Damn! Fancy Pants and Blueblood must be powerful, considering what they pull off at their age! Or did I just a wrong reading here?

[rockyrobben]

4856839

You know those nobles, incredibly powerful, incredibly self centered.

Plus, I believe I had the intention that magic looks more more impressive in their domain than in the pony world. I t takes a lot of wisps for it to do stuff, you know. ; )
Anyway, thanks for reading, it means a lot to me.

Oh yeah, If you've ever played Divinity 2: Ego Draconis,Magic Missiles FTW!

[NobleValor]

Interesting concept (although a bit wordy for my tastes). I wish you the best of luck.

[rockyrobben]

4879553

Many thanks.

[Inquisitor M]

How the hell did I miss this? Dammit. Another one for the mist tomorrow...

Urgh.

[Inquisitor M]

Hmm. The story comes up empty, for me. I'm not sure if I missed something in the narrative, but nothing has really changed, no insight has been gained, and nothing happened to have any significant investment in.

In the way that I've warned several stories about the pitfalls of re-treading things the reader already knows from the show, this was more like adding detail to things we essentially know, but not in any way that gives us new perspective or adds meaning to anything else.

Though it is clearly technically proficient, I kind of got the end and just went, "Oh."

4/10 Prompt: Moderate

-M

[rockyrobben]

4909287

Although it's kinda disappointing to receive a comment like this, I cannot deny that what you have said is very much useful and appreciated.

So many thanks for stopping by my small corner of the internet to read and comment on my humble script.

Onwards and upwards and all that, eh? =)

[Meridian Prime]

Why has this not had more attention? Especially after this contest.
Anyway.
I do agree with 4909287 about most of what he said, such as the technical proficiency and that the story is mostly a fleshing out of what happens in the show. However, I don't agree that it weakens the piece. It certainly took a perspective not usually approached, and your characterisation of Magic was fantastic. Honestly, I feel like it's more of a personal reaction than anything else. InquistorM got to the end and went "Oh.", I got to the end and went "That was good!" Your technical writing skills are excellent - some people just have different tastes to others. Of course, he's now probably going to come back and tell me how wrong I am, but that's what I think.

I really liked this for what it was. Have a fave, upvote, follow, and a place in my favourite stories group for good measure.

[Inquisitor M]

4959020 Opinions can't be wrong. That's why it's always worth having one :)

[Meridian Prime]

4959057
Very true.

[PiMan]

It would be kinda interesting to see the perspectives of the other few intelligent wisps.

[rockyrobben]

Right, time to see if I fail at writing comments again...

4959020

Wow, I'm speechless. I have literally been sitting here for a good 15-20 mins, unsure as to what to say other than thanks (either that or I'm trying to avoid writing my dissertation again). So, thanks so much for that comment, its really uplifting to read that. I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

4960847

Aha! so that's how one replies to multiple comments! Phew, I'm not a total interweb scrub.

Hmmm...it could be interesting, agreed. A community of wisp like creatures holding council for the betterment of their people would be a strangely engaging topic to write about. I also quite like the world I built here / the world in my head that I so pitifully transcribed into story form. But I'll probably quit while I'm ahead with this story. ^.^

Now, I need to stop procrastinating so I can get back to work...

[Kagitaar]

My enjoyment of this was mixed, although the ending makes it skew towards positive. The first and fourth chapters are strong, while the second and the first part of the third drag a bit; just a bit too wordy without saying much. I enjoy a good mystery in a story, and while Aquaman had the the superior one in this contest, yours was quite engaging and a very interesting take on the elements. Also, the cutie mark being a wisp frozen in time, love it.

P.S. Inquisitor M can be a bit crabby and pedantic, keep that in mind.

[Loganberry]

Not bad, not bad at all. I found the central concept really interesting, and some of the world-building (eg The Well) really caught my attention, too. Could have done with sharper pace in the middle, though, and needs a bit more proofreading (eg you have "filly's" for "fillies" in ch. 2). Worth the read, though.